Aliases are subject to review. Email aliases must follow the guidelines below. Pitt Digital Security may revoke any alias that appears to violate these guidelines — for example, an alias that misrepresents your identity or is not professional in nature. Revocation can occur without advance notice.
You can personalize your Pitt Email (Outlook) address by adding an email alias — an additional address people can use to reach you at Pitt. Adding an alias does not change how you receive mail, and it does not change your University Computing Account username. This article explains how to add an alias, the guidelines every alias must meet, and answers to the most common questions.
For example, if your name is John Smith and your current Pitt Email address is jas987@pitt.edu, you might add an alias such as johnsmith@pitt.edu or John.A.Smith@pitt.edu to make your address easier for others to remember.
Note: Your login does not change.
All mail — whether sent to an alias or to your official University address — is delivered to the same place you read it today. When you sign in to Pitt services, continue to use your University Computing Account username (or username@pitt.edu), not your alias.
Add an Email Alias
Students, faculty, and staff can add up to two email aliases.
- Sign in to Accounts Self-Service.
- From the Email Aliases tab, review the guidelines for alias addresses.
- Under Create New Email Address, enter the alias address and its preferences.
- Select Create Email Alias.
Alias Guidelines and Requirements
An alias can contain letters, numbers, periods, dashes, and underscores, and must end in @pitt.edu. Every alias must also meet the following guidelines:
- Do not misrepresent your identity. An alias may not impersonate another person, office, or role.
- Keep it professional. The alias must be professional in nature.
- Meet the length rule. The alias must be longer than eight characters or contain a period, dash, or underscore. This prevents your alias from conflicting with usernames that may be assigned to future students, faculty, and staff.
Warning: Aliases that break these guidelines can be revoked.
Pitt Digital Security may revoke any alias that appears to violate the guidelines above — including aliases that misrepresent identity or are not professional in nature. Because aliases cannot be deleted by the person who created them (see the FAQ), choose one you intend to keep.
Quick Facts
At-a-glance rules for Pitt email aliases
| Question |
Answer |
| Aliases allowed |
Up to two |
| Domain |
Must end in @pitt.edu (no external addresses) |
| Sponsored accounts |
Eligible — up to two aliases |
| Self-service deletion |
Not available — aliases are intended for long-term use |
| Assignment |
First-come, first-served |
Frequently Asked Questions
Select a topic below to expand its questions.
✉ How Aliases Work
Does an email alias replace my official University email address?
No. Your official University email address does not change or go away when you create an alias. An alias is simply an additional address you can use alongside your official address.
Will setting an alias change the username and password I use to log in?
No. You will still use your official University Computing Account username and password to sign in to myPitt (my.pitt.edu) and other enterprise services. If a service asks you to sign in with an email address, use username@pitt.edu, not your alias.
If I create an alias, will I miss messages sent to my official address?
No. You will receive all of your University email in the same place you do today, whether a message is sent to an alias or to your official University address.
I forward my University email to another address. Will messages to my alias also forward?
Yes. Messages sent to your alias follow your current email forwarding preferences.
🖊 Choosing and Displaying Your Alias
Why would I want to use an email alias?
There are many reasons. You might want an address that is easier for others to remember, an address to use when representing a University club or organization, or separate addresses for students and for research colleagues.
Which address displays in the "From" field when I send a message?
When you set an alias, you can choose which address to use as your "From" address. That address appears in the "From" field on messages you send. You can make an alias your "From" address, or keep your official University address.
If I set an alias as my "From" address, will it show as my advertised email in Find People?
No. Setting an alias as your "From" address does not change the advertised email shown when someone searches for you on Find People (find.pitt.edu). To change your advertised email, sign in to Accounts Self-Service, open the Contact Information tab, update the Advertised Email field, and select Update Contact Information.
🔑 Limits, Eligibility, and Permanence
How many aliases can I add?
Up to two.
Can I set an external address (for example, a Gmail address) as my alias?
No. All aliases must end in @pitt.edu.
I have a sponsored account. Can I set an alias for it?
Yes. If you have a sponsored (rather than a primary) University Computing Account, you can still set up to two aliases.
What if two people request the same alias?
Aliases are granted first-come, first-served. When you sign in to create one, you can check whether the alias you want is still available.
Can I delete an alias I created?
No. The service is intended for aliases used on a long-term basis for ongoing academic or business needs. To discourage short-term, temporary aliases, individuals cannot delete or remove an alias they have created. Note that Pitt Digital Security may still revoke an alias that appears to violate the guidelines.