So you’ve set up a domain alias in Plesk and want email to work with it. Maybe you have multiple domain names pointing to the same site, or you bought a shorter domain just for your email.

A domain alias is simply an extra domain name that shows the same website content as your primary domain. 

For example, if yourbusiness.co.za is your main domain, you might add yourbrand.co.za as an alias. Both will display the same site.

With email, you probably want addresses like [email protected] without paying for separate mailboxes. The good news is, you don’t need to. 

Emails sent to your alias domain can be forwarded to your primary domain’s existing mailbox.

The key point many miss: you cannot create a standalone mailbox directly on a domain alias in Plesk. 

Instead, Plesk automatically forwards any email sent to the alias domain to the matching mailbox on your primary domain without needing an extra account.

Confirm this Before Setting Up

• Admin or Reseller Access: You’ll need the right permissions within Plesk to make these changes. If you’re not the main account holder, you’ll need admin-level access or your hosting provider’s help.
• Domain Alias Already Created: The alias domain must already exist in your Plesk account. If you haven’t added it yet, you’ll need to do that before you can configure email.
• Mail Service Enabled on the Alias: During alias creation, there’s an option for “Mail service.” If it wasn’t checked, the email for that alias simply won’t work.
• DNS/MX Records Pointing Correctly: For the email to arrive, your domain’s DNS settings must point to the correct mail server. Your hosting provider can confirm the right server details. 
• Primary Domain Has Active Mail: Since emails to the alias forward to the primary domain, the primary domain needs a working mailbox to receive them.

7 Steps to Set Up Email for a Domain Alias

Step 1: Log in to Plesk and go to Websites & Domains

First, log in to your Plesk control panel. Once you’re in, look for “Websites & Domains” in the main menu. This is where you manage all your domains.

Step 2: Add or edit the domain alias

If you haven’t added the alias yet, click “Add Domain Alias.” You’ll be prompted to enter the alias domain name (e.g., yourbrand.co.za) and select the primary domain it should point to. 

If the alias already exists, click on its entry to edit its settings.

Step 3: In the alias settings, find the “Mail service” option

Within the alias’s settings, you’ll see a section for services. Look for the “Mail service” checkbox.

Step 4: Enable the “Mail service” for the alias

Make sure the mail service checkbox is ticked. This tells Plesk to accept incoming mail for this alias domain. 

If this is unchecked, no email will be delivered. Once you’ve confirmed it’s enabled, click ok or save to apply the changes.

Step 5: Go to the Mail tab for the primary domain

Now, navigate away from the alias. Go back to the websites & domains page and find your primary domain (the one you selected as the main domain). 

Click the Mail tab associated with it. This is where you manage all email accounts and forwarding rules

Step 6: Create or use an existing mailbox on the primary domain

You need a mailbox on your primary domain to receive the forwarded email. If you already have one (e.g., [email protected]), you can use that. 

If not, click “Create Email Address” to set up a new mailbox. Provide a name, set a strong password, and create the account.

Step 7: Learn the automatic result

You don’t need to do any extra setup for the forwarding to work. Once the mail service is enabled on the alias (Step 4), Plesk automatically handles the forwarding.

If you send an email to [email protected] (your alias domain), Plesk will automatically route it to the mailbox of the same name on your primary domain. 

So, emails to [email protected] will land in the [email protected] mailbox. If you created a new mailbox called [email protected], any email sent to [email protected] would end up in that mailbox.

No extra forwarding rules are needed.

Mistakes to Avoid During Email Forwarding for the Alias Domain in Plesk

Email on Alias Domain PleskFAQs

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Setting up domain aliases and forwarding in Plesk is a great first step to professional email. But managing separate accounts and forwarding rules for every scenario can be hard, especially as your business grows.

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What you get with our business email:

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A domain alias ensures your brand is covered from every angle, but a professional email for your primary domain ensures you’re taken seriously.

With unlimited email accounts included, you’ll have everything you need to succeed.