It is nearly impossible to live without email. Most things have moved online, and almost every form you fill out requires your email. For apps or services like Google Drive that you use often, sharing your email isn't a big deal. For services you don't plan on using often, providing your primary email address opens you up to unnecessary messages.
Disposable email address
A disposable email address is an email address that is active for a short period of time. You can send and receive emails to and from this address. When you no longer need it, you can delete it. This allows you, for example, to temporarily use a service but not to receive emails from it by filling up your main inbox.
Get a disposable email address
- Temp Mailo: only offers an email that you can use to sign up. It doesn't give you an inbox, which means you can't send or receive messages. Any verification codes or links sent to this address cannot be recovered.
- 10 Minute Mail: offers an email address that expires after ten minutes, however it also gives you a mailbox. It's perfect for signing up for a service that will have your email verified or send you a verification code. If you need the address for more than ten minutes, you can take longer.
- Maildrop: allows you to create a personalized email, ie you can use your name so that the email looks "real". You receive an inbox and theirs is not expired on the email address. Your mailbox can hold ten messages and no more.
Create an alternative email
If you don't know how long you'll need a 'disposable' email, or don't trust the services they provide you with, you can create a real email and use it for 'junk'. Consider creating a second Gmail email or Protonmail email. Use it whenever you don't want to use your real or primary email address.
You will be able to retrieve messages whenever you want.
Use iCloud +
If you own an iPhone, you can purchase and an iCloud + subscription. In addition to cloud storage, the service will enable a “Hide my email” option in the standard Mail app. Instead, you can set up and use a temporary email in Mail. It is entirely up to you to decide to delete the temporary email.
