To use ILoveTempMail, open the website, copy the temporary address that's already waiting for you, and paste it wherever a site asks for an email. New mail appears in the inbox on its own, and verification codes get a one-tap Copy code button. You don't need an account.
This guide walks through the inbox step by step, then covers the apps, linking your phone, and what Pro adds.
Step 1: Copy your free temp address
When you open ILoveTempMail's temp mail with an inbox, a random address is created for you. The card at the top shows:
- Your temporary address, with the domain highlighted.
- How many days are left before it expires, and how many messages it has.
- Copy, New address, and a QR code button.
Click Copy and paste the address into any form. There's no name, password, or phone number to enter. As a guest, your mailbox lasts 5 days.
Step 2: Wait for new mail (no reloading)
While the tab is open, the inbox checks for new mail about every 15 seconds. The Refresh button shows a countdown to the next check, and clicking it checks right away. If you switch to another tab, checking pauses, then runs again as soon as you return.
New messages slide in at the top, and unread mail is counted next to the Inbox heading. Each row shows the sender, subject, a preview line, when it arrived, and a paperclip if the email has attachments.
Step 3: Open and read an email
Click a message to open it. You'll see the subject, the sender's name and address, and when it arrived. On a computer the email opens next to the list. On a phone it opens full screen, and Inbox takes you back.
HTML emails are sanitized and shown in a sandbox with scripts blocked, so a message can't run code in your browser. Remote images do load, which means a sender can often tell the email was opened. How email tracking pixels work explains why.
To remove a message you don't need, use the trash button at the top of the reader.
Step 4: Copy verification codes and open links
This is the part most people come for:
- Copy code from the list. If an email contains a verification code, a small code chip appears on its inbox row. Tap it to copy the code without opening the email.
- Copy code in the reader. Open the email, and a panel at the top shows the code with a Copy code button. A code written as
482 913is copied as482913. - Open link or Copy link. If the email has a verification or confirmation link, the same panel shows it with the website's name, plus Open link and Copy link buttons.
More tips, including what to do when a code doesn't arrive, are in temp mail for verification codes.
Step 5: Download attachments
Attachments are listed above the message body with their file name and size. Click one to download it. A temp address doesn't make a harmful file safe, so only open attachments you expected. Disposable email and phishing covers the warning signs.
Move the address to your phone with a QR code
Click the QR code button next to Copy to show the address as a QR code, then scan it with your phone's camera. Your phone reads the address as text, ready to paste into a sign-up form or app on the phone.
Get a new address
As a guest, New address swaps your current address for a fresh random one, which may be on a different domain. Your current mailbox and its messages are replaced, so copy anything you need first. It's also the quickest fix when a site rejects your first address.
Use the ILoveTempMail apps and browser extensions
ILoveTempMail is also a temp mail app for iPhone and iPad and Android, and an extension for Chrome and Firefox. All four are linked in the apps section of the home page. Your mailboxes sync across the website, apps, and extensions.
Mailboxes in an account linked with the phone app last 30 days by default, and Pro can extend them, compared with 5 days for a guest mailbox on the website. The apps are also where you buy Pro.
Link the website to your phone app
Linking connects the website to your ILoveTempMail app account, so your mailboxes and plan sync to the web:
- On the website, click Link account in the top bar. A QR code appears.
- In the ILoveTempMail app, open Settings and tap Scan QR Code (under Access & Data).
- Point your phone at the code. The website updates on its own once the scan goes through.
In the apps, QR linking is a Pro feature; on the Free plan it shows as "Premium only." Once you're linked, the address card has Switch to jump between mailboxes and New mailbox to create one (random, or custom with Pro), and you can label each mailbox to remember what it's for.
What Pro adds: the ILoveTempMail workspace
Pro is bought in the iOS or Android app and syncs to the website. On a linked Pro account, the website turns into a workspace with Compose, Inbox, Sent, Domains, Forwarding, and MCP Server:
- Custom addresses: pick your own username on the available domains (New mailbox, then Custom).
- Custom domains: receive mail on a domain you own by adding one MX record,
mx.expresshost18.net. The custom domain setup guide has every step. - Forwarding: create a rule that forwards every email from a mailbox to your real inbox. Each rule has an on/off switch, and the mailbox shows "Forwarding on" while it's active.
- Sending: write and reply from a mailbox on your own verified domain, and track delivery in Sent, within a monthly send quota. See temp mail that can send email.
- MCP server: let AI tools such as Claude, Cursor, and Codex create inboxes and read codes for you. The MCP setup guide shows how to connect them.
- Unlimited mailboxes and no ads.
Things to know
- Expiry: guest mailboxes expire after 5 days. Mailboxes in an account linked with the phone app last 30 days by default, and Pro can extend them. On the free plan, each email is deleted 3 hours after it arrives (Pro keeps emails for 30 days), so save any receipts or keys you need right away.
- Receive-only on Free: free mailboxes can't send or reply.
- Blocked domains: some sites refuse known disposable domains. Try New address, or use your own domain with Pro. Why websites block disposable emails explains the lists behind it.
- Not for important accounts: don't use a temp address for banking or any account you might need to recover.
- Your data: on the free plan, emails are deleted 3 hours after they arrive, and Pro keeps them for 30 days. Read ILoveTempMail's privacy and data retention for details, or how temp mail works for the big picture.
FAQ
Do I need an account to use ILoveTempMail?
No. Open the website and a temporary address is ready to use, with no sign-up or personal info. Linking to the phone app is optional.
How long does an ILoveTempMail address last?
Guest mailboxes expire after 5 days. Mailboxes in an account linked with the ILoveTempMail app last 30 days by default, and Pro can extend them.
Is there an ILoveTempMail app?
Yes. There are apps for iOS and Android and extensions for Chrome and Firefox, and your mailboxes sync between them.
Can I choose my own email address?
Yes, with Pro. You can pick your own username on the available domains, or receive mail at addresses on your own domain.
Can I reply to emails in ILoveTempMail?
Free mailboxes are receive-only. With Pro, you can reply and send from a mailbox on your own verified custom domain.
Get a free temporary email address and try it on your next sign-up.
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