Restricting sign-ups to specific email domains enhances your community's security by ensuring only users from approved domains can register. This approach is particularly beneficial for organizations like educational institutions or government agencies aiming to maintain an exclusive environment. Implementing this measure not only streamlines the registration process for intended members but also helps prevent spam.

Before configuring allowed email domains, ensure your forum's privacy setting is set to private or that allowed email domains have been previously specified.

You can follow these steps to set up Allowed Email Domains:

1. Log in to your Website Toolbox account.
2. Click the Settings link.
3. Click the Users link.
4. In the Allowed Email Domains field, enter the domains you want to allow sign-ups. For example: yourdomain.com, school.gov.uk, or xyz.com.
5. Save your changes.

Once configured, users with email addresses from these specified domains can register seamlessly, reducing spam and facilitating a smoother sign-up experience. Users attempting to register with email addresses from non-approved domains will encounter the error message saying Please use an email address from an approved domain. For instance, if school.gov.uk and xyz.com are approved, users with addresses like name@school.gov.uk or name@xyz.com can register without issues. Conversely, a user with an email like name@yahoo.com will be prompted to use an approved domain.

You can customize the error message to align with your community's guidelines.

Implementing these settings ensures that only trusted users gain access to your community, fostering a secure and exclusive environment.