Privacy policy

1. Data we process and why

To deliver an inbox, we process its randomly generated address, a hashed access token, expiry time, incoming sender and subject details, message bodies, sanitized HTML and delivery fingerprints. No account or permanent email address is required. We also process IP addresses and technical request information for connections, sessions, rate limiting, SMTP delivery, security and troubleshooting.

Providing the requested inbox is based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. Security, abuse prevention and essential operational logging are based on our legitimate interests under Article 6(1)(f). Optional analytics is based on consent under Article 6(1)(a).

2. Encryption and email display

Stored message content is encrypted using a key available to the application server. Incoming SMTP email is processed on the server before storage. This is not end-to-end or zero-access encryption: the operator can technically access message content. SMTP transport encryption depends on the sending server and connection.

HTML is sanitized and displayed in an isolated frame. Scripts, forms, embedded documents and remote images are blocked in this view; attachments are discarded by the application. Plain text remains available. Following a message link opens the destination website and lets that destination process your connection data.

3. Expiry and retention

An inbox becomes inaccessible one hour after creation. An automated job runs every minute to remove expired inbox records and associated messages from the active application database. The Delete inbox action removes those active records sooner; creating a new address deletes the previous inbox.

SMTP messages awaiting local delivery can remain in the mail queue for up to one hour. Delivery logs can contain sender and recipient addresses, IP addresses, timestamps, queue identifiers and delivery outcomes. Operational records are separate from the inbox and are retained while needed for security, troubleshooting or legal obligations. Inbox expiry is not a promise to erase every operational record or any backup copy at that exact instant. It does not delete copies held by senders or their email providers.

4. Cookies and browser storage

The necessary tempmail_session cookie identifies your browser session; XSRF-TOKEN protects forms. Session cookies are configured for 120 minutes. Inbox access still ends after one hour. Server-side session records may remain until session cleanup. These cookies are needed for the inbox and form security.

The tempmail_analytics_consent local-storage entry remembers your analytics choice until you change it or clear site data. Browser storage and cookies are specific to each domain. Anyone with access to your browser session may be able to read the inbox. Closing the page does not immediately delete it.

5. Optional Google Analytics and Tag Manager

Only after you accept analytics, our page loads Google Tag Manager container GTM-549T7F5R. Google Analytics tags configured in that container may process page views, technical device and usage information, connection data and identifiers such as _ga cookies. Cookie expiry and analytics data retention depend on the published Google configuration.

Our integration does not send your temporary address or email contents as analytics events. Optional scripts run on the website after consent; email HTML frames themselves do not permit scripts. You can change your choice using Analytics preferences in the footer. The inbox works if you decline. Google services are provided in Europe by Google Ireland Limited, and processing may involve Google entities outside the EEA. Google describes its processing and transfer arrangements in its privacy policy.

6. Hosting, recipients and transfers

The service runs on a server hosted by Hetzner in Germany. Cloudflare provides DNS and, where its proxy is enabled, website delivery and security services. Those providers and Google, when analytics is accepted, may process technical information needed for their functions. Incoming email also passes through the sender’s chosen providers before reaching our server.

Data may be disclosed to competent authorities when legally required. International processing by a provider is subject to that provider’s applicable arrangements, including appropriate safeguards where required. We do not sell the contents of temporary inboxes.

7. Contact requests

If you contact us, we use your email address and the information you provide to respond, investigate abuse or handle a rights request. We retain correspondence for the enquiry and any necessary follow-up or legal obligations. Please include only the information needed for your request.

8. Your rights

Subject to the applicable conditions, you can request access, correction, erasure, restriction and portability, object to processing based on legitimate interests, and withdraw analytics consent. Contact the controller above. We may need proportionate information to verify that a request concerns your data. We cannot restore an expired inbox or recover its deleted messages. You may complain to the Austrian Data Protection Authority or another competent supervisory authority.

Change your analytics choice

Use this control to accept or decline optional analytics. Declining stops future loading and reloads the page if analytics was already loaded. Existing Google cookies can also be removed in your browser settings. Withdrawing consent does not affect earlier processing.