Question 1

What is Proton Mail?

Accepted Answer

Proton Mail is the world’s largest end-to-end encrypted email service. Proton Mail makes sure no one can access your emails, not even Proton, by using end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption. Proton Mail is one of the services provided by Proton. We’ve also created Proton VPN, Proton Drive, and Proton Calendar.

When you send an end-to-end encrypted email with Proton Mail, your message is encrypted on your device and can only be decrypted by your recipient with the corresponding encryption key. With Proton Mail, all the encryption and decryption happens in the background, meaning anyone can use encrypted email, regardless of technical ability.

Question 2

Is Proton Mail free?

Accepted Answer

Proton Mail will always offer a free encrypted email plan that provides secure email functionality with basic features. Our free email accounts offer the same level of encryption as any of our paid plans. If you upgrade to one of our paid plans, you will receive advanced email features, such as additional email addresses, extra storage, custom email domains, and unlimited messages. You will also be supporting our mission to build a better internet where privacy is the default.

Question 3

Is Proton Mail safe?

Accepted Answer

We ensure that Proton Mail is as safe as possible by using end-to-end encryption and zero access encryption, meaning that no one — not even Proton — can read the contents of your emails. Proton Mail data is also protected by strong Swiss privacy laws, and we can only respond to official requests from Swiss authorities. All Proton Mail apps are open source, so anyone can view their code, and we commission independent third-party experts to audit our code to ensure they are safe.

Question 4

Can I create a free email account?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we will always offer a free email plan for anyone who needs it. Unlike other providers, you can create a free email account with Proton Mail without sacrificing your privacy. Proton Mail Free plans are funded by those who choose to support us by subscribing to one of our paid plans. To create your free email account with Proton Mail, you can click Get Proton for free in the table above, or go directly to our signup page. The Proton Mail Free plan comes with 500 MB of storage, which you can increase up to 1 GB by completing the Get started with Proton checklist.

Question 5

How can I upgrade my Proton Mail Free account?

Accepted Answer

You can upgrade your Proton Mail plan at any time by logging into your account at account.proton.me and clicking Upgrade in the top right corner of your screen. From there, you can select the plan that’s right for you, depending on which advanced features you need.

Question 6

How do I get Proton Calendar?

Accepted Answer

When you sign up for any Proton Mail plan, you automatically get access to your own Proton Calendar. You can access Proton Calendar by going to account.proton.me/calendar or by using the app switcher in your Proton Mail inbox. If you have a Proton Mail Free plan, you will have access to one personal calendar, but with our Mail Plus or Proton Unlimited plans, you can use up to 20 personal calendars.

Question 7

How can I expand my Proton Mail storage?

Accepted Answer

Our free email plan comes with 500 MB of storage. You can increase this amount to 1 GB for free by completing these simple actions from the Get started with Proton checklist: Importing your emails and contacts Sending your first message  Setting up a recovery method  Downloading our mobile app  If you subscribe to our Mail Plus plan, you can increase your storage to 15 GB. The most storage you can receive is 500 GB, which comes with a subscription to Proton Unlimited.

Question 8

How do I switch to Proton Mail from another email provider?

Accepted Answer

You can easily switch to Proton Mail from Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook by using our Easy Switch tool. Easy Switch imports all your existing folders and messages into your new Proton Mail inbox, encrypting them the moment they arrive. Once you have completed the Easy Switch setup, your messages and folders will be imported automatically without any further input from you. The migration process happens in the background so you can continue using Proton Mail as you normally would.

Question 9

Can I choose my own email address?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can choose your own email address as long as it hasn’t been taken by another user. If you’re on a paid plan, you can also send emails with a @pm.me address.

Question 10

How can I access my Proton Mail inbox?

Accepted Answer

You can access your Proton Mail inbox by visiting our web app at account.proton.me or downloading the Proton Mail app for iPhones or Android devices from their respective app stores. To use Proton Mail with your desktop email client, you need to download Proton Mail Bridge, which is currently available for anyone with a paid Proton plan.

Question 11

Can I add my family to my Proton Mail plan?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can upgrade to our Proton Family plan, which you can share with up to 6 family members or friends, and which includes 3 TB total storage.

Create a secure email account with Proton Mail

Frequently asked questions