No sign-up doesn’t mean no data processing
Your address, access token, and messages make web-based email possible. When a temporary inbox expires, its address and messages are deleted together.
See temporary inbox retention rulesPrivacy Policy
Two ways to receive email,
two different data paths
Temporary inboxes use access tokens; forwarding aliases deliver messages to your real email. This policy explains what data we process to provide each service, how long we keep it, and how you can stop or delete it.
Your real email is where messages are delivered
Aliases are linked to your login email so incoming messages can be forwarded to you. Forwarded messages are archived for 30 days, separately from temporary inboxes.
See forwarding archive limitsClosing the page doesn’t stop the clock
Local credentials let you regain access; they are not a backup of your messages. Switching devices or clearing browser data may mean you can no longer access your original temporary inbox.
See recovery requirements01 / What this policy covers
This policy applies to timedbox.com web-based temporary email, passwordless login, forwarding aliases, and forwarding email archives. It explains how data is processed within the Timedbox service; it does not replace the privacy policies of sending websites, your real email provider, or third-party content providers linked from messages.
Temporary email and long-term aliases follow different data paths: temporary inboxes use an access token to view messages on the web, while aliases forward incoming messages to the real email address you provide. Before using either, review the Lifespan Guide to decide which option suits your needs. For the rules governing use, see the Terms of Service.
02 / What data we use and why
Even without an account, temporary email requires our servers to identify the address, validate access tokens, and process incoming messages. No sign-up means you don’t need to provide a real email address to log in. It does not mean messages aren’t processed by our servers, nor does it guarantee anonymity or confidentiality.
The table below lists the data needed for each service. Don’t share temporary access tokens, login verification codes, or login credentials as if they were ordinary email addresses. The address receives messages; credentials may give their holder access to them.
| Data and service path | Purpose of processing | Important limits |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary address and expiry information | Receive messages sent to the address, identify the temporary inbox they belong to, and calculate the time remaining and the result of any renewal. | The address identifies where messages are sent; it is not a recovery password. Knowing the address alone usually won’t restore access. |
| Temporary access token | Verify permission to view messages, renew an inbox, delete messages, or destroy a temporary inbox. The browser stores the token to restore access. | It is not a login credential and does not turn a temporary inbox into a long-term alias. |
| Real login email and authentication information | Send login verification codes, identify your account, and receive forwarded alias messages. If two-step verification is enabled, we also process authenticator settings and verify one-time codes. | Your real email address is not entered into external registration forms as an alias, but it is used for login and message delivery. |
| Alias addresses, status, and linked settings | Link each alias to your account and determine whether forwarding continues based on whether it is active or disabled. | Disabling an alias changes future forwarding. It does not recall messages already delivered or automatically delete archived messages. |
| Message content and delivery records | Process the sender, recipient, subject, time, body, and any attachments. Temporary messages can be viewed on the web; alias messages are forwarded and can be searched in the archive. | Message bodies may contain verification codes, order details, or other personal information. Retention periods differ between the two types of email; see below. |
We may also process request and operational records to run the service, troubleshoot delivery, and prevent abuse. This policy does not set a single retention period for logs or backups that have not been confirmed. The periods of 3 hours, 24 hours, and 30 days below do not apply automatically to all technical records.
03 / What the three time periods mean
Temporary email is governed by the validity period of each address; forwarding archives are governed by the retention period for each record. Closing the page does not pause the temporary inbox timer, and renewing an inbox does not change the retention rules for forwarding archives.
Save anything you need while the address is still valid, and rely on the actual expiry time shown on the homepage. Temporary email is not suitable as your only way to receive messages for accounts you may need to recover later.
Default temporary address lifespan
The countdown starts when the address is created. At expiry, the address and all messages in the inbox are deleted together. There is no expired-message recovery or recycle bin.
To end use early, go to the inbox tools on the homepage and use the destroy option. Creating a new address also invalidates the old inbox, so save any messages you need first.
Renewal is not permanent storage
Each renewal request adds 3 hours, up to a maximum total of 24 hours from address creation. Once the limit is reached, you can’t keep the same inbox by renewing it.
You need a valid access token to renew, and you must do so before expiry. If you expect to receive messages over multiple days, use a forwarding alias instead.
Forwarded email archive period
Alias messages are archived on the site for 30 days. You can also delete records sooner. This period does not mean an alias itself can only be used for 30 days.
Copies already delivered to your real email are managed by that email provider. Deleting a Timedbox archive does not also delete those copies.
Expiry and deletion don’t clear data everywhere
Expiry of a temporary inbox and deletion of a forwarding archive describe what happens to data within the corresponding service. They do not guarantee deletion of copies held by the sender, receiving email provider, files you downloaded, or other third parties. We make no additional promise that technical logs or backups are erased immediately or after a fixed period. Contact support if you have a specific data request.
04 / Your browser stores credentials, not backups
To let you resume where you left off, your browser stores temporary inbox access credentials and related recovery information locally. Long-term forwarding uses separate login credentials and email information to identify your login state and provide access to alias management and archives. Signing out of your forwarding account and destroying a temporary inbox are separate actions.
There is no guarantee that logging in will let you recover a temporary inbox using its access token and your real login email. Signing in to your forwarding account on another device won’t automatically show you the temporary messages on your original device.
| Action | Effect on temporary email | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Close and reopen the page | You can recover the original inbox if the same browser still has a valid token and the address hasn’t expired. The timer keeps running while the page is closed. | When you return, check the address and countdown. Closing the page does not pause the timer. |
| Clear site data or end a private browsing session | Local credentials may be erased. Even if the inbox has not expired, you may no longer be able to access it. | Save anything you need before clearing data. Clearing your browser is not the same as destroying data on our servers. |
| Switch browser, browser profile, or device | The new environment usually won’t have your original temporary token, so the address alone cannot restore the inbox. | For long-term use, choose an alias you can manage after logging in instead of relying on a single temporary inbox. |
| Sign out of your forwarding account | Signing out clears your login state. It does not delete temporary inboxes, aliases, or existing archives. | To stop forwarding or delete records, take the relevant action in the dashboard. |
On shared devices, don’t let others use a browser session that still has your access credentials. When you’re finished with long-term forwarding, sign out. When you’re done with a temporary inbox, destroy it if you no longer need it, then clear local site data if you wish.
05 / How messages are displayed and where they go
Isolated display doesn’t make message content trustworthy
After sanitization, HTML emails are displayed in a restricted sandboxed frame; plain-text emails are displayed as text. This reduces the chance that message content will directly affect the website. It does not mean we endorse the sender’s identity, the truth of the message, or the safety of attachments, nor does this site provide end-to-end encryption.
Messages may contain remote images, tracking pixels, links, or other external resources. If these load, or you open a link, third parties may receive connection information such as your IP address and the time of the request. Whether resources load depends on message processing and browser behavior. Don’t share verification codes with unknown senders, and don’t trust a request just because it appears in your inbox.
Aliases hide your real address from forms, but forwarding requires a real destination
When you register with an external service, you enter your alias. To forward messages, Timedbox still needs to process the link between that alias and your real email address, and deliver messages to your real email provider. That provider processes message bodies, attachments, spam detection, and storage according to its own rules.
Disabling an alias stops future messages to that alias from being forwarded, but it cannot recall messages already sent or make the sending website forget the alias you provided. Choose carefully which real email address you use for login and forwarding, and protect access to it.
06 / What you can stop or delete
Before choosing an action, distinguish between stopping future delivery, deleting records on the site, and ending access. These actions have different effects and are not interchangeable. After deletion, don’t expect support to recover destroyed temporary messages.
Manage temporary email on the homepage and aliases and forwarding archives in the separate dashboard. If you aren’t logged in, the dashboard will first guide you through verification-code login with your real email address.
- Destroy a temporary inbox: Go to the temporary inbox and use the destroy option to end use of the address and delete its messages. Before switching addresses, make sure you no longer need anything in the old inbox.
- Delete a forwarding archive: Open the forwarding dashboard and delete any unwanted records from the 30-day archive. Copies already forwarded to your real email must be handled there separately.
- Disable an alias: Turn off the relevant alias in the dashboard to stop forwarding future messages to it. Other aliases are unaffected. Disabling an alias does not delete its history.
- Delete an alias: Delete the relevant settings in alias management to stop using that alias. This does not automatically erase archives, external registration information, or copies in your real email.
- Sign out: Sign out in the dashboard to clear your local login state. This does not automatically stop forwarding for aliases that are still active.
Have a data request? Contact us directly
For questions about data processing or to request access to or deletion of account-related data, contact support@timedbox.com. Tell us whether your request concerns a temporary inbox, an alias, or an archive, and specify its scope. Account-related requests may require us to verify control of the email address. We’ll respond based on what we can verify and the requirements that apply.
Don’t include login verification codes, temporary access tokens, login tokens, or authenticator keys in your email. If you can’t prove access rights, or the temporary inbox has expired or its data has been deleted, we can’t promise to restore or provide its contents.
The policy update date is shown at the top of this page. Before continuing to use the service, review the Terms of Service and the Lifespan Guide to avoid using temporary email for accounts you may need to recover long term.