Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I need an account?
No. The address at the top of the home page works immediately. An account adds three things: up to ten addresses at once, private domains that are not published anywhere, and attachments.
How long does my address last?
Without an account, twenty four hours from the last time you used it. Asking for a new address deletes the current one immediately. With an account, seven days from your last sign in.
Can I choose the address myself?
Yes. Type a name in the field under the address and pick a domain if you want a particular one. Reserved names such as abuse and postmaster are not available, because mail about the domain itself has to reach us.
Can I send mail from this address?
No. Addresses here receive only. A service that allowed anonymous sending would be used for spam within days, and its domains would stop being accepted everywhere shortly afterwards.
Why does a website refuse my address?
It checks the domain against a list of known disposable services. Pick a different domain from the list and try again, which usually works. Those lists are built by looking at services like this one, so any published domain ends up on them eventually.
The verification code never arrived. What now?
Try a different domain first, which resolves it most of the time. Keep the tab open while you wait, since the inbox updates by itself. Do not press for a new address while waiting, as that deletes the mailbox the message is coming to.
Can other people read my mailbox?
Without an account, yes. Anyone who knows or guesses the address can open it. That is the trade for having no password and no signup. Mailboxes belonging to a registered account are private.
Can I get a deleted message back?
No. Deletion is immediate and complete, and there is no backup to restore from. That is deliberate: a service that could restore your mail on request could be compelled to produce somebody else's.
Do I need to refresh the page?
No. The page holds an open connection and new mail appears on its own, usually within seconds of being sent.
Are attachments supported?
With an account. Files up to five megabytes are stored and can be downloaded. Executable file types are refused and never stored at all.
Is it really free?
Yes. It is paid for by advertising, which is kept out of the way of the interface and never made to look like a site control.
Can I use it for my bank, or for work?
No. Use a permanent mailbox for anything you might need to recover: banking, government, employment, healthcare, domains, shopping accounts. A recovery address that expires tonight is not a recovery address.
What happens to mail sent after my address expires?
It is discarded without being stored, and the sender is not told. We do not reply that an address is unknown, because that reply would confirm which addresses exist.
Can somebody else get my old address later?
Yes, eventually. Deleted addresses return to the pool. This is unlikely with a random address and more likely with a name you chose yourself, and it is another reason not to use one for anything lasting.
Do you read my messages?
No. Messages are stored so we can show them to you and deleted on schedule. They are not scanned for advertising and not passed to anyone.
Which domain should I pick?
The default is chosen at random from the domains currently in good standing and is right most of the time. If a form refuses it, pick another from the list.