This topic

Cannot gift an email address - daily limit on account creation?

docdunning — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 12:04:13 GMT

I'm trying to gift an email address to a family member. I created the address a couple of days ago.

I get as far as entering the other person's name and an email address to send the link. But then when I click Continue, I get a blank screen with this error message on a red background:

Sorry, for security reasons we limit the number of accounts that can be created per day. Please try again later.

It happened yesterday and again today, although probably not a full 24 hours apart.

I don't see why gifting an address should be subject to an account creation limit.

Please help me to understand what's going on and what I need to do to resolve the issue.

Re: Cannot gift an email address - daily limit on account creation?

gg30340 — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 14:54:40 GMT

Do you have any outstanding orders in your MyBT as that can prevent other "orders" such as gifting emails from being placed.

Re: Cannot gift an email address - daily limit on account creation?

docdunning — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 15:34:44 GMT

@gg30340

Thanks for posting.

No, I'm not aware of any outstanding orders. To be fair, I have given notice (via OTS) that I'm switching to another provider in November, but BT should continue my current service without change until then.

I'll keep trying over the next day or two - maybe I'll end up having to contact Customer Services.

Re: Cannot gift an email address - daily limit on account creation?

gg30340 — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 16:35:47 GMT

If you are switching that will be classed as an open order until you have completed the switch.

BT systems seem to have a problem accepting another "order" which gifting is, when one is already open.

I take it you are aware that your BTMail service, including gifted accounts will be downgraded to BTMail basic accounts which can only be used with a web browser and not with email app/clients unless you "upgrade" to a BT Premium email account at £7.50 per month, when you move away from BT

Re: Cannot gift an email address - daily limit on account creation?

docdunning — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 17:14:26 GMT

If you are switching that will be classed as an open order until you have completed the switch.

Interesting. I just looked at my orders and there's nothing there about the switch. Maybe it's hidden from me.

And yes, thanks for the note about the service being downgraded - I'm very much aware of that.

BT's guidance tells me that I will be able to have another family member import my email address, and then gift it back to me. I'm just trying out the gifting process with a different address, to ensure that it works and so that we get some experience of the process.

FYI, we are also having problems with the import, but it would be off-topic to go into those.

Re: Cannot gift an email address - daily limit on account creation?

gg30340 — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 18:24:11 GMT

The gifting process does work.

I have gifted email accounts albeit not in the past year or so without any issues and I have given advice regarding the process to other posters and it worked for them.

You are correct that your email account can be associated to another BT Broadband account, as long as that BT Broadband account holder already has at least one BTMail account active.

Re: Cannot gift an email address - daily limit on account creation?

docdunning — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 21:26:18 GMT

@gg30340

Thanks again. I'll leave it for a day or two, try again, and then contact BT if it's still failing.

Re: Cannot gift an email address - daily limit on account creation?

gg30340 — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 10:56:54 GMT

See the following links to save repeating procedures

https://www.bt.com/help/email/manage-email-account/account-set-up/can-i-move-my-bt-email-address-to-another-account-

https://community.bt.com/t5/General-email-queries/Gifting-an-email-address-to-someone-who-doesn-t-have-a-BT-ID/td-p/2356922