Temp mail that doesn't expire: an address you can come back to

You made an account with a throwaway email. Months later you forget the password, press reset, and the link goes to an address that no longer exists. Temp mail that doesn't expire is the fix: the address stays yours for good, so the reset link still has somewhere to land.

You still keep your real inbox out of it. The only thing that goes is old messages, deleted on a schedule you know in advance. Here is how that works, and how to make sure you can still open the inbox a year from now.

The address stays, the messages go

Every temporary inbox has two parts: the address, and the messages that arrive at it. Permanent temp mail keeps the first and clears out the second.

• The address never expires, so you can use it again next week or next year.
• The messages are deleted on a schedule, so old mail does not pile up.

That split is what people mean by a permanent disposable email. You can come back to the address whenever a site writes to you, and your mail still does not sit on a server forever.

The address is permanent. The messages are not.

Sites keep writing to you long after you sign up

Signing up is not the last time a site emails you. It is the first. The site keeps the address you gave it and uses it every time it needs to reach you.

• You forget your password and need a reset link.
• You sign in on a new phone, and the site emails a code to check it is really you.
• A free trial is about to end, and the site warns you before it charges your card.
• A shop sends the coupon it promised when you joined its mailing list.
• You come back to a game after a year, and it sends a code before it lets you play.

With an address that expires, each of these ends the same way. The email goes to an inbox nobody can open, and you are locked out of an account that still exists. There is more on how that happens in why accounts made with 10 minute email get lost.

What to look for in permanent temp mail

Not every service that calls itself temporary works this way. Before you use one for an account you might come back to, check these five things.

• The address itself never expires, and no timer is running.
• The service tells you plainly how long messages are kept.
• You can get back into your inboxes from another device.
• New mail shows up on its own, so you do not miss a code while you wait.
• The service is honest about what it should not be used for.

The third point is the one people miss. If your inboxes live in one browser only, clearing your browsing data or switching to a new phone can cut you off. The address still works, but you can no longer read what arrives.

How to keep access for the long run

An address that never expires only helps if you can still open it. A few small habits make sure you can.

1. Give each signup its own address, so you always know which site sent what.
2. Note which address you used for which site, for example next to the login in your password manager.
3. Sign in to the service if it offers that, so your inboxes are not tied to one browser.
4. Copy anything worth keeping, like a license key or a receipt, before the message is deleted.
5. Use your real email for anything you could not stand to lose.

The first habit has a bonus. If spam starts arriving at one address, you know exactly which site let it out, and the rest of your mail is untouched. There is more on that in giving every signup its own address.

How freemail keeps your address working

Open freemail.site and you have a working email address straight away. There is no signup and no password. The address never expires. Messages are deleted on a schedule: after 7 days on the Free plan, 30 days on Pro and 90 days on Max.

The Free plan gives you up to 10 inboxes, so each site can have its own address. New mail shows up live, without refreshing, and if a message contains a verification code, you can copy it in one click. It only receives mail, so you cannot send or reply from it.

Signing in is optional, and it uses your email and a six digit code instead of a password. Without it, your inboxes are tied to the browser you used. With it, they are on every device and stay put even if you clear your browser. If you plan to come back to an address months from now, signing in is the step that makes sure you can.

Get a free inbox that never expires

When to use your real email instead

A permanent throwaway address is still a throwaway address. Keep your real email for banking, government services, health, work and anything you must keep forever. And remember that messages expire, so an old email will not wait for you to come back.

Common questions

Is there a temp mail that doesn't expire?

Yes. Some temporary email services keep the address for good and only delete messages on a schedule. That gives you a throwaway address you can come back to for password resets, new codes or updates. Before you rely on one, check how long messages are kept and how you get back in from another device.

Can I use permanent temp mail for password resets?

Yes, as long as you can still open the inbox. A reset link sent months later still arrives, because the address has not changed. Sign in if the service allows it, so a cleared browser does not lock you out.

What happens to old messages in a permanent inbox?

They are deleted on a schedule, but the address stays. On freemail, messages are kept for 7 days on Free, 30 days on Pro and 90 days on Max. If you need to keep something, copy it somewhere safe before then.