Introduction
This document provides the necessary information to ensure successful delivery of emails to Apple's private email relay addresses.
Delivering Emails to Apple-Generated Private Addresses
To enhance user privacy, Sign in with Apple allows users to opt for unique, app-specific email addresses instead of revealing their primary email. Apple achieves this through a private email relay service.
When a user chooses to hide their email, Apple generates a unique email address specifically for their interaction with a particular service. These private addresses follow a consistent format: <unique-alphanumeric-string>@privaterelay.appleid.com.
Apple then forwards emails sent to these relay addresses to the user's actual email inbox. As a developer integrating Sign in with Apple, it is crucial to configure your email sending according to Apple's specific requirements. Failure to adhere to these guidelines will result in bounced messages to Apple's private relay addresses, indicated by the error message "550 5.1.1 bad mailbox name."
Prerequisites
Domain Authentication
Before you can configure Sign in with Apple functionality, Domain Authentication must be completed for the domain you intend to use when sending emails to Apple's private addresses. The Sign in with Apple configuration options will only be visible for fully authenticated domains, so ensure your DNS records have been implemented.
Apple Developer Account
Configuring a Private Email Relay Service with Apple necessitates a registered Apple Developer account.
Once both of the perquisites are complete, let your CSM or Implementation Specialist know you would like to move forward with the configuration. Next you will be provided with an email address needed to complete a few more steps from within your apple developer account.
- Copy the provided email address.
- In your Apple Developer Account, navigate to Certificates, Identifiers, & Profiles.
- Select More in the sidebar and Configure Sign In With Apple.
- Paste the address under Individual Email Addresses and click Register.
You're now ready to send to Apple relay addresses.