How to add a Google Workspace alias

A Google Workspace alias is a second address that belongs to an existing Workspace user, for example sales@company.com on top of ade@company.com. Your Workspace admin adds it in the Google Admin console. Mail sent to the alias lands in the same mailbox, and once Gmail lists it as a "Send mail as" address, Distro can send campaigns from it.

You do not need SMTP or IMAP details for this. A Workspace alias lives on the same Google account, so it uses the same Google sign-in you already connected to Distro.

Before you start

• You need admin rights in Google Workspace to add an alias. If you are not an admin, send this article to whoever manages your company's Google account.
• The alias has to use a domain your Workspace account already knows about. That can be your primary domain, a secondary domain or an alias domain added in the Admin console. If the domain isn't added yet, add and verify it in the Admin console first (Google's documentation walks through this).
• Decide which user owns the alias. Use the person whose mailbox should receive the replies. Distro sends through that user's Google account and reads replies from that mailbox.

Step 1: Add the alias in the Google Admin console

Google moves menus around from time to time, so treat these as general directions and check Google's current help pages if something looks different.

1. Sign in to the Google Admin console with an admin account.
2. Open Directory → Users and click the user who should own the alias.
3. Open the user's details (usually User information) and find Alternate email addresses, sometimes labelled email aliases.
4. Add the new address, pick the domain from the list, and save.

New aliases can take a little while to start working. Google says changes may take up to 24 hours in some cases, though it is often much faster.

Step 2: Check that Gmail can send from it

Receiving mail at an alias and sending from it are two different things. Distro can only send from addresses that Gmail lists as sending identities.

1. Sign in to Gmail as the user who owns the alias.
2. Open Settings → See all settings → Accounts (on personal Gmail the tab is called Accounts and Import).
3. Look at Send mail as.

If the alias is already listed, you are done with Gmail. If it isn't, click Add another email address, enter the alias, and follow the steps. For an alias that belongs to your own Workspace account, Gmail normally adds it without asking for SMTP details. If Gmail does ask for SMTP settings, read Gmail is asking for SMTP settings, because that usually means the address is not a plain alias of this account.

If Gmail sends a confirmation email or code, confirm it. Until it is confirmed, Distro shows the address as Waiting for Google and won't send from it.

Step 3: Add the alias as a sender in Distro

1. Open Outreach → Sending accounts.
2. Click Add sender, enter the name recipients should see and the alias address, then click Save.
3. Under Email services, click Enable next to Google account.

Distro first checks the Google accounts you already connected. If the alias is listed in one of them, it shows up straight away as Active with Alias of and the account's address underneath, and no new Google sign-in is needed. If it isn't found, Distro sends you to Google to sign in. Sign in as the user who owns the alias.

Created the alias after you connected that Google account? You can also open the ⋮ menu next to the account under Google accounts and click Refresh addresses. New addresses Google lists for the account are added as senders. See Use a verified alias in Distro for picking it in a campaign.

Common questions

Does an alias count as another sender mailbox on my plan? No. Distro's plan limit counts connected Google accounts, not the addresses inside them. An alias rides on the account you already connected. See Plans, trial and billing.

Does an alias give me more sending volume? No. Google applies sending limits per account, so the main address and all its aliases share one limit. See Gmail sending limits explained.

Do I need to set up SPF and DKIM for the alias? If the alias uses the same domain as the main address, the domain's existing Google Workspace setup covers it. If it uses a different domain, that domain needs its own authentication. See What is SPF and What is DKIM.

The alias still doesn't appear in Distro. Work through Why my alias is not showing in Distro.