How to Set Up Catch-All Email in cPanel

A catch-all email address (also called a default address) receives any email sent to a non-existent address at your domain. For example, if someone emails typo@yourdomain.com and that address doesn't exist, the catch-all will receive it instead of bouncing the message. dotCanada allows you to configure this from cPanel.

Setting Up a Catch-All Address

1. Log in to cPanel and go to the Email section.
2. Click Default Address.
3. Select the domain you want to configure from the dropdown.
4. Choose one of the following options:
   • Discard the email - silently drops any email to unknown addresses (recommended if you receive a lot of spam).
   • Send an error to the sender - bounces the email with a message that the address doesn't exist.
   • Forward to Email Address - redirects unmatched emails to an address you specify.
   • Forward to your system account - sends them to the main cPanel user's inbox.
   • Pipe to a Program - sends the email to a custom script.
5. Click Change to save your setting.

Should You Use a Catch-All?

Catch-all addresses can be convenient, but they tend to attract a high volume of spam since spammers often guess random addresses at your domain. Consider your situation before enabling one:

• If you run a small business and want to capture typos, a catch-all forwarding to your inbox makes sense.
• If spam is a concern, setting the catch-all to discard is often the better choice.

If you need advice on the best email setup for your domain, contact our support team and we are happy to help.