How to Set a Default (Catch-All) Address in cPanel
The default address catches mail sent to any address on your domain that does not exist — useful for catching typos like sale@ instead of sales@, but it also attracts spam. Configure it deliberately.
Step-by-step
- Open Email → Default Address in cPanel.
- Pick the domain if you host more than one.
- Choose what happens to unrouted mail. Option A: Discard with error to sender (recommended) — senders get a bounce telling them the address is wrong.
- Option B: Forward to an email address. Enter a mailbox that should receive all stray mail. Expect extra spam — every guessed address on your domain now lands here.
- Avoid silently discarding (Advanced → Discard) — senders think their mail arrived when it did not.
- Click Change. Takes effect immediately.
💡 Good to know
- A catch-all mailbox fills with spam quickly — combine with spam filters and a small quota.
- Bounce-with-error is the standard, safest choice for most businesses.
- Prefer explicit forwarders for the handful of variations you actually care about (sale@ → sales@).