Google is apparently developing an email security feature that is very similar to Apple’s Hide My Email. Experts from Android Authority first came across the feature, which Google has not yet officially announced, when they were tearing down the latest version of Google Play Services for Android.
Google seems to be working on a “Shielded Email” feature
On November 15, Android Authority reported that Google appears to be working on an email forwarding alias system. The news was quickly picked up by tech media. The feature is apparently called “Shielded Email.”
Why random email generators are a good idea
Those not familiar with Apple’s Hide My Email feature may wonder what the point of generating random emails is. If Shielded Email is released, Gmail users will be able to randomly create emails when visiting sites that require creating an account. But why is this useful?
A NordPass survey found that in 2024, the average person has 168 passwords (and accounts) for personal use and an average of 87 passwords for the workplace. This represents an increase of about 70% in password usage in the 3 past years.
If you store your account emails and passwords on Google, you might be surprised to see how many accounts and passwords you actually have. A great number of these accounts are the result of one-time visits to sites that asked you to create an account to access what you were looking for. Chances are you will never visit these sites again, but the credentials you created remain on their servers.
Websites can share email user addresses with marketers and data brokers. But, of much greater concern than marketing spam, your email could also end up in the hands of cybercriminals if leaked on the dark web.
These privacy and security risks, which are the core problems that Apple’s Hide My Email solves, are what Google apparently will address with Shielded Email.
What Android Authority found in the work-in-progress code of Shielded Email
Android Authority security managed to access the Shielded Email feature through the Autofill settings menu. Currently, the feature is not in production, and not everyone can see the option in their Google settings menu. Those who do see it will notice that tapping on Shielded Email directs you to an empty page on myaccount.google.com.
Interestingly, Android Authority managed to access code from the supposedly upcoming Google feature.
“The APK on the menu this afternoon is the new 24.45.33 release of Google Play Services, and upon cracking it open, we find a whole boatload of strings referencing and in support of something called ‘Shielded Email,’” Android Authority said.
Based on the code, the Shielded Email feature would generate random emails when users opt to hide their email addresses on sites that demand them. The feature would also allow users to turn off forwarding emails from that randomly generated email.
All in all, this security feature allows users to keep their main email more private, reducing spam as well as the cybersecurity risks that come with email leaks on the dark web.
Function strings in the code include:
- Use Shielded Email option user request
- Autonomous alternative email address generation
- Email forwarding (allows users to forward emails to random email accounts and can be turned off at any time)
- Autofill features
The code also reveals that Google built the feature to protect users from “online tracking and data breaches.”
Final thoughts
Features like Shielded Email are highly efficient at reducing spam and protecting users’ privacy and security. At this time, Google has not provided official word about the feature or when it will be released. If it is rolled out, Apple users who use Google Chrome regularly will definitely benefit from it.
This is an independent publication, and it has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Google LLC. Gmail is a trademark of Google LLC.
