Temporary Email You Can Return To

The Close-Tab Problem

The most common complaint about temporary email services is losing access to an inbox. You create a temp email, use it to sign up for something, close the browser tab and then realize 20 minutes later that you need to check for a follow-up email. You open the service again and get a brand new empty inbox with a different address. Your emails are gone.

Most temp email services link your inbox to a browser tab that disappears when you close it or to a cookie that expires if you clear your data or wait too long. A few services include an extend time button for your inbox. That only works if you keep the tab open.

Mobile users face a bigger problem because browsers often kill background tabs to save memory. You might switch to another app to copy a verification code and return to find your temp email tab reloaded. This gives you a fresh inbox and leaves you with none of your emails.

This limitation is more than just inconvenient. It can leave you stuck. If you used the temp email to sign up for something and the verification email arrives after you lost access to the inbox, you have no way to complete the signup. You can't re-register with the same email because it's already taken in their system and you can't access the verification link. You're locked out of both the temp email and the service you tried to sign up for.

How NukeMail Preserves Your Session

NukeMail keeps your session active by using a 14-day HTTP-only cookie. When you create an inbox, the site sets this cookie in your browser and renews it each time you visit. You will be taken to your existing inbox automatically as long as you return within 14 days and you haven't cleared your cookies.

Your inbox stays active through tab closes, browser restarts and computer reboots. The cookie isn't tied to a single browser tab. It's a standard browser cookie that stays in your storage. Opening NukeMail in a new tab, a new window or after restarting your browser will always take you back to the same inbox.

The 14-day cookie duration matches the total lifecycle of a free inbox because it stays active for 24 hours and then locks for 13 days. Your cookie and your inbox expire at roughly the same time. This setup avoids a confusing state where your cookie works but your inbox is already gone.

Cross-Device Access

Cookies are device-specific. They can't follow you to a different computer or phone. The access code fixes this problem. Every NukeMail inbox comes with a unique access code in the format NUKE-XXXXXXXXXX that you can use to reach your inbox from any device.

Your access code appears in your inbox. You can copy it or write it down. On a different device you click "Have an access code?" on the NukeMail homepage and paste the code to get in. The new device gets its own session cookie so you stay logged in there as well.

This dual system uses automatic cookies if you stay on the same device and a manual access code for cross-device use. You get the convenience of persistence that just works without the privacy compromise of creating an account. You never have to enter personal information to keep access to your inbox.

What Happens After 24 Hours

Your inbox locks 24 hours after creation. You can still return to it later. Your cookie or access code still works, but you can only see email metadata like the sender, subject line and timestamp. You cannot see the email content. This state lasts for 13 more days.

The locked state is a choice built into the system. It lets you confirm that an important email arrived without giving you full access. If you need to read the content, you can unlock it with a premium upgrade. If you do not need it, you can generate a fresh inbox for free.

Your inbox and all its data are permanently deleted once 14 days pass. The access code stops working and your cookie clears the next time you visit. You will then see the creation screen with a message stating your previous inbox has expired. There is no way to recover a deleted inbox.

Generating a New Inbox

When you're finished with an inbox and need to start fresh, you can generate a new one whenever you want. This action immediately and permanently deletes your current inbox. The token, email address and all messages are removed from the database. A new token and address are created and your cookie is updated.

The immediate deletion on "Generate New" works differently than the passive expiry flow. When you choose to create a new inbox, you're saying you are done with the old one. There is no reason to keep it around in a locked state because you already have access and chose to move on.

A confirmation dialog stops you from deleting your inbox by mistake. You must explicitly confirm that you want to wipe your current inbox and lose access to all your received emails. This is the only destructive action in the entire interface and the system guards it to prevent data loss.