Features & limits
Temporary Email Limits: Time, Size and Message Cap
Every temporary inbox has limits. See the default time, message size and 50-message cap on FreeTemp, what happens when you hit one, and what to do.
By FreeTemp3 min read
Temporary email limits are the reason an inbox stays light and disposable, and knowing them saves you from surprises. On FreeTemp the main ones are the time, the size of a message, the number of messages and the number of new addresses. The table shows the defaults.
The limits in one table
| Limit | Default | What happens at the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Inbox lifetime | 20 minutes, extendable by +10 up to 60 | The inbox and its messages are deleted |
| Message size | 2 MB | A larger message is rejected and never shown |
| Messages per inbox | 50 | New messages are rejected until the inbox ends |
| New addresses | 10 every 10 minutes from one connection | You must wait before creating another |
| Sending | Not possible | The inbox only receives |
These are default values. The site can change some of them, so treat the table as the usual behavior and not as a promise.
What each limit means in practice
Time
The timer is the strictest limit. Plan the sign-up to fit inside it, and read how long a temporary email lasts if you need the exact way to extend it.
Message size
A normal verification email is tiny compared with 2 MB. The limit matters only for heavy newsletters or messages full of embedded content. If a message that should arrive does not, this is one possible reason.
Number of messages
An inbox holds up to 50 messages. When it is full, new ones are rejected, and the only way forward is a fresh address. If you use one address on many sites, you reach this faster, which is another reason to use one address per task.
New addresses
The service limits how many addresses one connection can create in a short time, and a short bot check may appear first. If you hit the limit, wait a few minutes instead of reloading again and again.
Receive only
You can read what arrives, but you cannot send or reply from the address. That is a feature as much as a limit: nobody can send mail in your name from it.
Where to go next
If a message is missing, check why verification emails do not arrive. To see what these limits do for your privacy, read is temporary email safe. Details of daily use are in the user guide and the FAQ, and you can try a new address on the homepage.
Frequently asked questions
Why was my message rejected?
The two usual reasons are a message larger than the size limit, 2 MB by default, and an inbox that already holds 50 messages.
Can I raise the limits?
No. The limits belong to the service. What you control is how you use it: one address per task, and extending the timer in time.
Can I send an email from my temporary address?
No. FreeTemp is receive-only, so you can read messages but not send or reply.