Inbox protection · A four-option guide

Still getting marketing emails after unsubscribing? Know what each option can do

Unsubscribing usually applies only to the specific mailing list. It cannot take back an email address you have already shared or control every sender. First, work out whether you want to deal with promotions already arriving or keep your address private the next time you sign up.

01 / Compare at a glance

What it changes matters more than what it’s called

Unsubscribing and filtering address mail sent to an address you’ve already shared. Temporary email and forwarding aliases are better choices to make before signing up again. “Hide your main email” means not giving it directly to a website; it doesn’t mean you’re anonymous or untraceable.

On narrow screens, scroll the table horizontally to compare options. Ongoing order emails include updates about support, refunds and account recovery.

What unsubscribing, filters, temporary email and forwarding aliases can and can’t do
Option	Manage existing subscriptions?	Hide your main email?	Keep receiving order emails?	How to stop	Effort involved
Unsubscribe	You can ask to stop a specific marketing subscription; the sender has to process the request.	No. The sender may still have your address.	Usually, transaction updates can continue; check what the unsubscribe covers before submitting.	Unsubscribe from that list; handle other lists separately if needed.	Depends on the merchant or mailing list; changes may take time to apply.
Filters	Organise existing mail and route future messages based on conditions; filters don’t cancel subscriptions.	No. Filters only change how your own inbox handles messages.	Yes, but a broad rule could also move order or refund emails.	Edit or delete the rule; sort through messages already moved separately.	Set clear conditions, then check regularly for misclassified mail.
Temporary email	No. It won’t stop subscriptions sent to your old address.	Yes. You can sign up without giving a new website your main email.	Not recommended. You can’t keep receiving mail after the address expires.	The address and its messages are deleted when it expires; a new address won’t restore the old inbox.	Get an address without signing up; read your messages and save anything important before it expires.
Forwarding alias	It won’t automatically change what goes to your old address; if the website allows it, you can update your account email to the alias.	Yes. Give the website your alias and have messages forwarded to your own inbox.	Suitable for ongoing contact, as long as the alias stays active and your destination inbox is available.	Disable or delete the alias; messages sent while it’s disabled are discarded.	Sign in to create an alias, note where you use it, and check linked accounts before disabling it.

No option can guarantee that all spam will disappear. If your main email has already been exposed, creating a temporary address or alias won’t remove it from other people’s lists.

02 / Mail you’re already receiving

Unsubscribe to change your preferences; filter to change where mail goes

Check that the sender is trustworthy before deciding whether to click a link in the email.

Promotions from a trusted merchant

You still shop there, but don’t want weekly offers

Use the merchant’s official account settings or the unsubscribe link in a trusted email to turn off marketing. Check whether options such as new arrivals, member offers and partner promotions are listed separately. Unsubscribing from one list may not remove you from all of them.

Keep order, delivery and refund updates. Wait for the change to take effect as explained by the merchant, then check the sender address and list name of new messages—not just whether the subject looks similar.

Limit

Unsubscribing depends on the sender processing your request; it doesn’t remove your address from their records. You may need to unsubscribe from different brands or lists separately.

Messages keep coming

They arrive even after you unsubscribe, or you just want a quieter inbox for now

Check whether the messages come from the same sender and subscription. If you create a filter, combine specific sender addresses with clear signs of promotional mail. Move messages to a folder you can review first; don’t set up permanent deletion straight away.

If the sender is unfamiliar or the message seems suspicious, don’t keep clicking unsubscribe links to test them. Use your email provider’s report-spam feature instead. Adjust notification preferences separately for legitimate merchants you still need to hear from.

Limit

A filter doesn’t stop the sender from emailing you; it usually just changes where the messages go. Filtering an entire merchant domain could also move invoices and refund updates.

Need to clear out a full inbox of promotions? Follow the promotional email cleanup steps, then create a narrowly targeted filter.

03 / The address you use next time

Short-term tasks end; shopping relationships may not

Before choosing an email address to reduce unwanted mail, ask yourself: “What will I need this address for later?” Receiving one verification code is different from needing to follow up on a refund months later.

Temporary email

Short-term verification

Open the site and get a random address
No sign-up needed. New addresses start with a 3-hour lifespan; follow the countdown shown in the inbox.
Receive your email before the address expires
Copy the address and use it on the website, then check your inbox for the verification code. Need more time? Each extension adds 3 hours.
When it expires, the address and emails are deleted
Don’t use it as a long-term account recovery address. A new address won’t transfer an old account, and websites won’t automatically know your new address.

Best for messages you won’t need after the task is complete. Don’t use it for accounts that still need order updates, password recovery or customer support.

See the step-by-step checklist before signing up for deals

Forwarding alias

Ongoing shopping updates

Sign in with a verification code sent to your email
Create a dedicated alias in forwarding management and note which store it’s for. You can enable two-step verification on your account.
Use the alias on the website; messages go to your main inbox
Order, delivery and support emails can keep forwarding to you. An alias doesn’t identify promotions, so marketing emails may come through too.
When you’re done, check first, then disable it
Update your contact and recovery email on the website before disabling the old alias. Messages sent while it’s disabled are discarded, not held for delivery if you re-enable it later.

Best for accounts you still need to hear from, without giving out your main email directly. Don’t disable it if you have open orders, refunds or warranty claims.

Go to long-term forwarding

04 / Choose based on your situation

Think it through before sharing an address

You don’t have to start over with a new tool to fix an old problem. Deal with what’s affecting you now, then set clear boundaries for your next sign-up.

Your main inbox is swamped with promotions

Keep order, billing and account security emails. Then unsubscribe from trusted lists and use narrowly targeted filters for repeat messages.

Suggested approach: unsubscribe + filter. Temporary email can route future sign-ups elsewhere, but it can’t undo sharing your old address.

Start by clearing existing promotions

You’re about to sign up with a new store

First, check whether you only need short-term access to an offer or a single verification code. If you’ll need the address to log in or manage orders later, don’t use one that expires.

Suggested approach: Use temporary email for short-term tasks when you won’t need the address again; use an alias or your own email for accounts you need to keep.

Check every step before signing up for deals

You need to keep receiving order updates

Choose a dedicated alias or your main email, and keep that contact channel active. Turn off marketing preferences separately in the merchant’s account settings; disabling the whole address isn’t a substitute for unsubscribing.

Suggested approach: alias + unsubscribe from the merchant; add a filter if needed. Before disabling the alias, check for refunds, warranty claims and account recovery needs.

05 / Three final checks

Make sure you won’t miss an important email

Will the store accept this address?
Some websites block temporary email or certain domains. If your address is rejected, use your own email as requested. Don’t keep switching addresses to get around restrictions or bypass offer eligibility rules.
Will you need it to recover your account?
Receiving a verification code successfully doesn’t mean you’ll never need the email again. Check whether login, password recovery, payments or identity verification are still linked to that address. If you’ll need it later, choose an address you can keep using.
Are your orders, refunds and support cases all resolved?
Save any records you need somewhere you can access long term. Before disabling an alias, update the email address on linked accounts. Don’t rely on a temporary inbox or forwarding archive as your only backup.

A temporary address can reduce the chance of exposing your main email when signing up, but it won’t clear existing marketing lists or guarantee that a website will accept the address or deliver messages. For details on usage limits, see our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service.

Choose how long you need to receive mail, then choose an address

For short-term tasks, make sure the temporary address is ready. If you need ongoing order updates or account recovery emails, use long-term forwarding or your own email. Both options are here, so you don’t have to risk missing important messages.

Use temporary email Sign in to manage long-term forwarding

For addresses you’ve already shared, you’ll still need to unsubscribe, filter messages and manage your accounts carefully.