# Temp Mail FAQ: Safety, Expiry and Premium > Answers about temporary email: how it works, how long addresses last, whether it is safe and legal, why emails may not arrive, and what Premium adds. Source: https://yelmail.com/faq ยท Last updated: 2026-09-29 ## Using temp mail ### What is temp mail? Temp mail is a free, disposable email address you use instead of your real one. It receives messages instantly, needs no registration and expires on its own, so sign-ups, downloads and Wi-Fi portals never reach your personal inbox. ### How do I get a temporary email address? Open this page and your temporary email address is created automatically. Click Copy, paste it into any form, and incoming emails appear here within seconds. No sign-up, password or app is needed. ### How long does a temp mail address last? On the free plan emails are kept for 2 hours and the address stays active while you use it, expiring after 2 hours of inactivity. Premium keeps emails for 30 days and saves up to 25 addresses to your account. ### Is temp mail safe to use? Yes, for sign-ups you do not need to keep. Each inbox is private to your browser, tracking pixels are blocked and email scripts never run. Do not use a temporary address for banking, work or any account you may need to recover later. ### Why am I not receiving emails? Most emails arrive within seconds. If one does not, check the address was copied exactly, wait a minute and ask the site to resend. Some websites block temporary email domains; press Change for a new address or use a Premium domain. ### Can I send emails from a temp mail address? No. The service is receive-only to prevent abuse, so you cannot send or reply. Premium users can forward incoming mail to a verified personal address. ### Can I choose my own temp email address? Yes, with Premium. You pick the name before the @, choose from premium domains and keep up to 25 addresses. Free addresses are random, and you can press Change for a new one at any time. ### Is it really free? Yes. The free inbox is supported by ads and needs no account. Premium removes ads and unlocks custom addresses, premium domains, 30-day retention, attachments up to 25 MB, forwarding and API access. ## Privacy and safety ### Can anyone else read my temporary inbox? No. Each inbox is tied to a private access token stored in your browser, so there is no public mailbox anyone can open by guessing the address. Remote images and trackers inside emails stay blocked until you choose to load them. ### Is using a temporary email address legal? Using a disposable address to protect your privacy is legal in most countries. Using it for fraud, harassment or anything illegal is not, and it breaks our acceptable use policy. ### What happens when my temp email expires? The address and every message and attachment in it are deleted automatically, and free addresses cannot be recovered. With Premium your addresses are saved to your account and reserved while your subscription is active. ### Do you sell my data or read my emails? No. We do not sell personal data, and we never use the content of your emails for advertising, profiling or training AI models. Messages are deleted when they expire. ## Premium and billing ### Can I cancel Premium anytime? Yes. Cancel from Account, then Billing, and you keep Premium until the end of the period you paid for. Your first payment is covered by a 14-day money-back guarantee. ### Is there a free trial of Premium? The free plan works without an account for as long as you like, and your first Premium payment comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee, so you can try Premium without risk. ### Do you have an API? Yes. Premium includes a REST API with personal API keys and live Server-Sent Events, so you can create inboxes and read messages from test suites, scripts or your own apps.