> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://krystal-dev.crisp.help/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# The cPanel Default Address and why catch-all mailboxes are a bad idea

By default your cPanel account will reject email sent to an address that you have not already setup with a mailbox or forwarder. We strongly recommend you leave these default settings alone. Mail addressed to a non existent mailbox or forwarder is called unrouteable.

||| While it is possible to send all such email to a catch-all address we strongly recommend against this practice as catch-all addresses are prime targets for spammers. Once your domain becomes known, spammers will target random usernames@yourdomain - it will be harder for us to filter spam, as your account will no longer reject email for unknown recipients.

If using a catch-all email address is unavoidable for you, and you wish to read such email using a third party system such as Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo etc then we recommend you configure a LOCAL mailbox to receive the messages, and then collect mail from that mailbox using the third party's POP3 collection tools. This is described in Step 3 below.

1.  Follow the guide [How to create a mailbox in cPanel](/email/adding-a-new-c-panel-email-account) to create your catch-all mailbox. A catchall mailbox is no different from any other mailbox.
2.  Click the **Default Address** icon in the **EMAIL** section of cPanel.
    
    ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/b5ef7733e1e24800/00b5bf88-ce67-4c65-8161-e140e1_egvxeo.png)
    
    Under the Default Address Maintenance heading, select your domain from the drop-down list (1) and the select the Forward to email address radio button (2). Enter the address of your catch-all mailbox in the Forward to email address box (3). Click the Change (4) button to save your changes.
    
    ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/8d62f15c60fd5800/8ebfb86c-7cc7-44c4-abd7-4c11dc_rht601.png)
    
    In our example, any email that the server receives which is not addressed to a known mailbox or forwarder within the krystaldemo.co.uk domain will be redirected into catchall@krystaldemo.co.uk mailbox.
3.  If you wish to read your catch-all email using a third part system such as Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo etc, then you must use the tools made available to you on their system.

### A special note about the system account

We strongly recommend you do not forward all mail to the system account unless you have a very good reason. Again, this option will make your account a prime target for spammers.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/7d4556e7b5094c00/2bb29012-1c56-44ef-8694-fef6ba_1g0au3f.png)

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