Getting started

How to use 10 minute mail: from generating an address to receiving a code

No sign-up, no setup wizard — the first time takes about a minute. This page covers the basic three steps, the advanced moves, and the usual snags, all in one place.

01The basicsCopy → Paste → Receive 02Advanced movesExtend, switch address, restore on another device 03An address's lifespan3 hours → 24 hours → gone 04Stuck?The three most common snags
Part one

The basics: your first message in three steps

Using "sign up for a forum account" as an example, the whole thing only takes one copy-paste on your end.

Open the homepage and copy the address that's already there

The instant you land on the Foxtemp homepage, a realistic-looking temporary address is already generated for you (something like nora.fox42@foxtemp.com, not gibberish). Tap "Copy address" next to it, and you're done once you see the "copied" confirmation.

If the copy button doesn't respond on mobile (some browsers restrict clipboard access), long-press the address text to select and copy it manually.

Paste it into the site's email field and submit

Switch to the site you're signing up for and paste the address into the "email" field like you would with any regular inbox. Verification codes, activation links, and welcome mail from that site will all land at this temporary address.

Don't close the Foxtemp tab — keep it open and check back for the result; even if you do close it, the advanced section below covers how to get it back.

Switch back — the mail is already in the inbox

Back on the Foxtemp tab, new mail typically shows up within seconds without needing a refresh. Click a message to expand the full body (HTML and images supported), copy the code straight out of it, or tap "Refresh" if you've been waiting a while.

Once you're done, there's nothing left to do — the whole inbox and every message inside it self-destruct automatically once the address expires.

Part two

Advanced moves: extending, switching, and restoring across devices

Those unassuming little buttons around the address bar are the whole advanced toolkit.

Extend your time (refill to 3 hours)

  1. An address is valid for 3 hours by default, shown as a live countdown below the address.
  2. Not done yet? Tap "Refill 3 hours" and the countdown resets to a full 3 hours immediately.
  3. You can refill it repeatedly, but the total lifetime of a single address is capped at 24 hours; you'll see a clear notice once you hit the cap, and it's time to get a new address.

Note: extending means "refill to full," not "add on top" — tapping it with 40 minutes left gives you 3 hours, not 3 hours 40 minutes.

Get a new address

  1. Tap "New address" and confirm — the current inbox and all its mail are discarded immediately.
  2. A fresh address is issued right away and the inbox starts over from zero.
  3. Best for: you've already handed your last address to a site and want to register a separate new account.

Switching can't be undone — the confirmation dialog isn't a formality, so finish reading anything important in the old inbox first.

Closed the tab or switching devices? Restore the inbox

  1. When an address is generated, its access credential is saved both in the page URL and your browser's local storage.
  2. Reopen the homepage in the same browser and the original inbox restores automatically, mail intact.
  3. Switching devices: send the full URL (the whole address-bar string) to the other device and open it there to take over the same inbox.

This only works while the address hasn't expired yet; that URL carries the key to the inbox, so don't send it to anyone who shouldn't see the mail.

Need attachments or a long-term address? Switch tools

  1. The temp inbox doesn't keep attachments: the list flags "has an attachment" but there's nothing to download.
  2. When you need attachments or a lasting address, sign in to the console and create a forwarding alias.
  3. Mail sent to an alias auto-forwards to your real inbox: ≤50MB is forwarded and kept for download; 50–100MB still forwards in full (attachments included) but is not kept on this site; over 100MB is rejected.

For how to choose between the two tools, the forwarding alias page has a full scenario comparison table.

Part three

The complete lifecycle of a temporary address

Second 0Page opens, an address is generated instantly, the countdown starts at 3:00:00
0 – 3 hoursLive mail delivery; refill back to 3 hours whenever you like
24-hour capRepeated refills still can't exceed the lifetime cap — get a new address once you hit it
After expiryAddress and every message self-destruct automatically, unrecoverable, unreadable by anyone

Curious about the data handling behind that destruction? See Privacy by Design.

Part four

Stuck? The three most common snags

1The verification code hasn't shown up after a few minutes
Check three things first: was the address copied in full (re-copy it and compare character by character), has the countdown hit zero, and did the sending site actually confirm success. Most mail arrives within seconds; a few senders lag one or two minutes, so try tapping "Refresh" once more. If a site says it "doesn't accept this email domain," it's blocking disposable addresses — switch to a forwarding alias instead. More troubleshooting on the FAQ page.
2The address changed / mail disappeared after a refresh
Two likely reasons: the old address hit its limit (3-hour default or 24-hour cap) and the system destroyed it and issued a new one automatically — this is expected behavior and can't be reversed; or you were in a private/incognito window or cleared browser data, losing the local credential — if you still have the old full URL, opening it will restore the original inbox.
3Tapping "Refill 3 hours" doesn't seem to do anything
Check the on-screen message: if it says "reached the 24-hour lifetime cap," this address has been alive for a full day already and the rules won't let it refill — tap "New address" and open a fresh inbox instead. If it says "too many requests," wait a few seconds and try again. Still acting up? Email support@foxtemp.com and let us know.

Finished reading? Your address is already waiting on the homepage

That's the whole walkthrough — the rest is muscle memory: copy, paste, receive. If you hit something this guide didn't cover, the FAQ page probably has the answer.

Get an address on the homepage Browse the FAQ