Expiration guide / Check the timing before you receive mail
Once a temporary email address expires, it can’t receive messages, and its contents can’t be recovered. Waiting for a verification code? Extend the address before it expires. Need a notification next week? Don’t rely on a temporary address.
01 / Inbox lifespan planner
Check the time remaining on the homepage, then enter it here. The planner only compares durations: it doesn’t create or extend email addresses, or access or change your inbox credentials.
The initial 3 hours is an example for a new inbox, not the expiration time for an existing address. Enter 0.5 for 30 minutes or 1.5 for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Choose 15 minutes to 48 hours, in 15-minute increments. Estimate using the sender’s latest stated delivery time; don’t assume that “usually a few seconds” is guaranteed.
Both bars use 48 hours as the full scale and are for comparison only.
You expect to wait 2 hours and entered 3 hours remaining, leaving about 1 hour to spare. This doesn’t guarantee the sender will deliver on time. Leave time to read and act on the email, too.
Without an active inbox credential, this is only an estimate. Even if you have an address, check its timer manually: this page doesn’t count down the time you enter. The live timer appears only in the homepage inbox tool.
02 / Extend before expiration
Not enough time with a 10-minute email address? First, check whether your service lets you extend it. New Rapidfwd temporary email addresses are valid for 3 hours by default. If you need more time, add 3 hours in the homepage inbox instead of entering a different address.
Compare 10-minute, 1-hour and forwarding alias optionsThis shows the button’s location; it isn’t interactive. To extend an address, go to the homepage.
The address the sender has should match the one shown on the homepage. Don’t select “Get a new address” just to wait longer.
In the inbox toolbar, select “Extend by 3 hours.” Don’t wait until the last second: the address may expire before the request completes.
Use the new expiration time returned by the API and the updated countdown. If the request fails, the connection drops or the maximum retention limit has been reached, don’t assume the address was extended.
The homepage tool sends a POST request, with the credential in the request body. This page doesn’t send extension requests.
POST /api/tempmail/extend
Content-Type: application/json
{
"token": "<current mailbox token>",
"hours": 3
}Read the mailbox object in the response and update the interface with the new expiration time. The value 3 means 3 hours are added; it doesn’t reset the remaining time to 3 hours. Extensions also can’t exceed the 24-hour maximum retention period.
03 / Five moments in an address’s lifespan
An address’s validity period and the expiry of a verification code in an individual email are two separate clocks. A valid address doesn’t mean the code is still valid, and a valid code can’t restore an expired address.
The homepage creates an address that’s valid for 3 hours by default. Copy the full address and paste it into the form. The address and expiration time shown in the tool are authoritative.
Receive only · Sending and replying aren’t supportedWhile the page is open, the inbox automatically checks for new mail. If a verification code hasn’t arrived after a while, check the address and its expiration time, then see troubleshooting tips instead of repeatedly switching addresses.
Auto-refresh doesn’t extend your addressOpen the email and enter the verification code, or download the white paper promptly. Save any email content, reference numbers or files you need to keep. Opening a message doesn’t reset the address’s expiration time.
Verification-code expiry is set by the senderAdd 3 hours in the inbox before expiration. Once the extension succeeds, use the new expiration time. Your current address and inbox contents remain the same; switching addresses invalidates the old inbox and doesn’t retain its messages.
Extend ≠ switch address · 24-hour maximum retentionThe address and its messages are deleted. It can no longer receive mail, and its contents can’t be recovered. Creating a new inbox starts a new task. If you still need to verify your account, update the address on the sender’s website and request another email.
A new address won’t receive emails sent to the old one04 / When you need to wait beyond today
Use a forwarding alias for ongoing mail: sign in with a code sent to your real email address, then create an alias to forward messages to your inbox. The 30-day period applies to online storage in the dashboard. It isn’t the validity period for a temporary email address, or a limit on how long you can use an alias.
An email about a 14-day trial ending won’t arrive today. Use a forwarding alias when you sign up so you can still receive account reminders later. For a one-time verification code, a temporary address may be enough.
Check for follow-up emails with your trial checklistReminders may arrive weeks later, so repeatedly extending a temporary email address may not be enough. Use an email account you can access long term, or a forwarding alias. For banking, payment services and important accounts, use your own email address directly.
See when this option is suitableIf you only need this download, save it as soon as it arrives. To receive every issue, subscribe with a forwarding alias. You can disable the alias whenever you no longer want the emails; messages in online storage remain available under the 30-day retention policy.
Choose how to receive subscriptions and downloadsApplies to online storage only. Messages received through a forwarding alias are stored in the dashboard for 30 days. You can also view blocked spam, but records can’t be recovered after they expire. Save messages forwarded to your own email according to your email provider’s rules.
05 / Frequently asked questions
No. Closing the page doesn’t pause the expiration timer or actively delete your inbox. When you return, the tool may be able to restore it only if your browser still has a valid credential and the address hasn’t expired. Don’t expect to recover the same address after clearing your browser data or switching devices.
No. Knowing the address doesn’t mean you still have the credentials to access it, and expired messages can’t be recovered. Save anything you need before the address expires. If an old verification code has expired, request a new one on the original website.
Selecting “Get a new address” on the homepage creates a new inbox with a default 3-hour lifespan and invalidates the old one. It doesn’t transfer old emails or carry over any remaining time added through extensions. If the sender is still sending messages to your original address, extend that inbox instead of switching addresses.
No. Rapidfwd addresses are valid for 3 hours by default. Before expiration, you can add 3 hours at a time, up to a maximum retention period of 24 hours. Repeatedly switching addresses may send confirmation emails to an old inbox that’s no longer valid. Limits vary between services, so check the duration comparison.
Don’t assume it was. Return to the inbox and check the countdown. Only plan around the new expiration time if the request succeeded and returned an updated expiry. Extensions may fail if the maximum retention limit has been reached, the address has expired or there’s a network problem.
No. These are separate ways to receive mail, and temporary email messages aren’t automatically saved in forwarding storage. For ongoing mail, create a forwarding alias first, then update your email address on the subscription or trial website. For more about retention, see our Privacy Policy.
Next / Check the actual expiration time
The planner doesn’t show the live expiration time. Go to the homepage to check your address, and add 3 hours before it expires if needed. If the next email is due in a few days, start with a forwarding alias.