Updated on: September 2, 2024
Short on time? Here’s how to send an anonymous email:
- Install a VPN. A VPN encrypts your traffic and masks your IP address, making it very difficult for your online activities to be traced back to you. I recommend ExpressVPN.
- Use an Anonymous Email Service. Sign up for a service like Proton Mail since it doesn’t request any personally identifiable information (but make sure you have your VPN connected first!)
- Remove Metadata From Email Attachments. Before attaching files like photos, you must first remove any personally identifiable metadata.
- Send Your Email. Now you’re free to send as many anonymous emails as you like.
The easiest and most reliable method to send an email without revealing any personal information is to use a virtual private network (VPN) combined with an anonymous email service. The VPN encrypts your web traffic, and the anonymous email service lets you sign up and send emails without requiring any of your personal information.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to use the combination of ExpressVPN and Proton Mail to send anonymous emails. ExpressVPN provides high-speed connections and powerful encryption, ensuring your web activity stays private. Proton Mail is secure, completely free, and doesn’t require any personal information to sign up.
I’ll also explain an alternative way of sending anonymous emails that doesn’t require the use of a VPN. Read on to find out more. Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
How to Send Anonymous Emails: A Step-by-Step Guide
Method 1 (Using a VPN)
The easiest way to send an anonymous email is by first subscribing to a good VPN. A VPN encrypts your device’s web traffic and masks its IP address.
If you already have a VPN, skip to Step 2.
Step 1. Set Up a VPN
There are many great VPNs out there, but ExpressVPN is my top choice, so I’ll use it as my example here. It’s feature-rich, easy to use, and reliable — but using any of the best VPN services will accomplish the same objective.
- Head over to the ExpressVPN website and click on Get ExpressVPN Today → on the homepage.
- Choose your desired plan — the longer plans generally offer the best value.
- Fill in your personal information, including your payment details.
- Download ExpressVPN to your device. The process will be virtually identical no matter which VPN you choose.
- Log into your ExpressVPN account.
- Enable the VPN. Once you’ve downloaded the desktop or mobile app and have logged in, it’s time to connect to a server to begin masking your IP address.
Step 2. Sign Up for an Anonymous Email Service
Now that you’re using a VPN, it’s time to sign up for an anonymous email service. There are plenty out there, including Tuta, StartMail, Guerilla Mail, and many others — but in this example, I’ll use Proton Mail as it’s my favorite one. It’s also entirely free!
Here’s how to sign up for Proton Mail:
- With your VPN turned on, head to Proton Mail and click Get Proton Mail.
- Choose a plan. I recommend sticking with the free plan since it has everything you need to send anonymous emails. That said, it only comes with 1 GB of storage, so if you want more storage than that, you can select one of the paid options.
- Choose a username and a password. Make sure your username does not contain any personally identifiable information like your real name, date of birth, or anything else that could reveal your identity.
Step 3. Remove Metadata from Email Attachments
Sometimes, you might want to attach photos to your emails, but it’s really important not to include any metadata. Metadata often includes information about when, where, and with what device the photo was taken — and some cameras even include information like who is in the photo(s).
The easiest way to remove metadata is to take a screenshot of the photo with your operating system. There are various third-party metadata removal tools, but I personally wouldn’t trust them to do a good job. It’s best not to take any unnecessary risks when it comes to your anonymity.
Below you’ll find the instructions for removing image metadata on macOS and Windows.
How to Remove Image Metadata on macOS:
- Open your photo by double-clicking the file.
- Hold Command and Shift while pressing the number 4. Click and hold the left click while dragging the selector box around your image.
- Let go of the left-click button. The new screenshot will automatically save to your desktop. If you’d like to store the file somewhere else, simply drag and drop it to a new location in Finder.
How to Remove Image Metadata in Windows:
- Open your photo by double-clicking the file.
- Hold Shift and the Windows logo key while pressing S. This will bring up the screenshot interface.
- Click and drag your left mouse button to select the entire area of the photo.
- Open a program like Paint, paste the screenshot there (Ctrl + V), crop it (Ctrl + Shift + X), and save the results.
Step 4. Send Your Email(s)
Now it’s time to log into your email account and start sending emails to your heart’s content! Make sure your VPN is connected, then click New Message, and you’re all set.
Method 2 (Using Tor Browser)
Another method for sending anonymous emails is using the Tor browser. Tor anonymizes your traffic by routing it through multiple servers, making it nearly impossible to trace. However, the downside is that many websites block Tor, and it requires some tinkering to use it effectively. For this reason, I still recommend using a paid VPN for simplicity and broader website access.
But if you’re up for the challenge and want to spend zero money, here’s how to use Tor:
- First, fire up your favorite web browser, then navigate to the Tor website.
- Download Tor for your particular device. Note that Tor isn’t available for iOS, so you won’t be able to use it on your iPhone or iPad. For iOS devices, you’ll need to use the Onion Browser, which is available from the Apple App Store.
- Install Tor like you would any other program on your device. Double-click the downloaded file and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation procedure.
- Now you’re ready to move on to Step 2 — signing up for an anonymous email service.
What Exactly Is an “Anonymous” Email Anyway?
IMPORTANT: Please note that achieving complete anonymity online is impossible. Whenever you use the internet — including when sending emails — there’s always a risk of being discovered by entities with the right resources, such as law enforcement or government agencies.
An anonymous email is a message sent without revealing your identity or any personal information. Unlike regular emails, which can include metadata like your name, email address, and IP address, anonymous emails protect your privacy by concealing these details.
This is achieved through specialized services and tools designed to keep your identity hidden.
Here are the key characteristics of an anonymous email:
- Identity Concealment: Anonymous email services like Proton Mail and Tutanota allow you to create accounts without providing any personal information, such as your name or address.
- IP Address Masking: An IP address is a unique number assigned to each device connected to the internet, allowing it to communicate with other devices. While the Tor browser can hide your IP address, it can be complex and slow to use. Instead, VPNs like ExpressVPN offer a more user-friendly and efficient solution. They encrypt your internet traffic and route it through a secure server, hiding your real IP address and providing enhanced online privacy.
- Encryption: Encryption adds an extra layer of security by encoding your emails, making them unreadable to anyone who intercepts them. Services like Proton Mail automatically encrypt your emails, ensuring that only the intended recipient can read them.
- Temporary Email Addresses: For one-time or short-term communication needs, disposable email services like Temp Mail provide temporary email addresses. These accounts are typically active for a limited time, such as 15 minutes, allowing you to send emails without linking them to a permanent identity. However, due to their short lifespan, you won’t be able to receive replies after the account expires.
What Are the Limitations of Anonymous Emails?
While sending an anonymous email can significantly enhance your privacy, complete anonymity isn’t always achievable.
Here are some key limitations to consider:
- Sophisticated Tracking Techniques: The level of anonymity you can attain largely depends on who is trying to find you and the resources they have at their disposal. Advanced tracking techniques employed by governments, law enforcement agencies, and large corporations can potentially uncover your identity. These entities have access to a wide range of tools and technologies that can bypass standard anonymity measures.
- Metadata and Behavioral Analysis: Even if your personal information and IP address are hidden, metadata and behavioral patterns can still be analyzed to identify you. This includes things like email headers, time stamps, and the frequency and patterns of your email usage. It’s also possible to measure how much data is being sent through various web servers to ascertain who someone could be.
- Human Error: Mistakes in how you use anonymous email services and VPNs can compromise your anonymity. For example, logging into personal accounts or sharing identifying information inadvertently can link back to your anonymous email. Attachments like photos, videos, and other files with metadata could also inadvertently expose your identity.
- Legal and Compliance Issues: In some jurisdictions, using anonymous email services and VPNs is restricted. Compliance with local laws and regulations can also pose a challenge to maintaining complete anonymity. In the US, it’s generally considered safe — but keep in mind that it might not be in your local area. I recommend you always check what the laws are in your location to avoid possible fines and penalties.
- Service Limitations: Not all anonymous email services and VPNs are created equal. Some may keep logs or have weaker encryption, which can compromise your anonymity. Choosing a reliable VPN (like ExpressVPN) and a good anonymous email service provider like Proton Mail is crucial.
Why Do You Need a VPN to Send Anonymous Emails?
A VPN provides multiple layers of security and privacy that ensure your communications remain as anonymous as possible. Here are the key reasons why a VPN is essential:
- Encrypts Your Web Traffic: A VPN encrypts all the data you send and receive, making it unreadable to anyone who might intercept it. This means your email content and any personal information you enter are protected from hackers, ISPs, and most other third parties.
- Masks Your IP Address: By routing your internet traffic through a VPN server, a VPN hides your IP address, and you appear to be browsing from the VPN server’s location. This makes it much harder for anyone to trace your email back to you.
- Protects Against Metadata Tracking: Even if your email service provider doesn’t log your personal information, metadata like your IP address can still reveal your location and identity. A VPN prevents this by masking your IP address and encrypting your data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to send a completely anonymous email?
The reality is that nothing you do online will ever be 100% anonymous. That’s simply not possible. However, with the right tools and approach, you can certainly send an email that is very difficult to trace back to you.
The first step is to subscribe to a virtual private network (VPN) of your choice (I recommend ExpressVPN). After that, you’ll need to use an anonymous email service provider like Proton Mail. Find out how to send an anonymous email using my simple, step-by-step guide.
How can I send an anonymous email for free?
You can send an anonymous email for free by using an anonymous email service provider like Proton Mail along with Proton VPN. Proton Mail offers a free plan that lets you send emails without revealing any personally identifiable information, and Proton VPN provides a free tier that works pretty well.
However, the free Proton VPN plan has limitations, including the inability to choose your own server locations and a lack of torrenting and streaming support. Upgrading to a premium Proton VPN plan gives you the option to route your traffic through multiple servers (Double Hop feature), which will enhance your privacy. It also provides you with additional benefits such as faster speeds, more server options, multi-device support, split tunneling, and more.
Can anonymous emails be traced?
Yes, anonymous emails can be traced, but it depends on the methods used to send them and the resources of the entity trying to trace them. Law enforcement or government agencies with the right resources can potentially trace an email, for instance. For everyone else, if you’re not using proper tools like a VPN or an anonymous email service, your IP address and other metadata can reveal your identity.
Using a VPN along with a secure, anonymous email service greatly enhances your privacy. The VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your traffic, while the anonymous email service encrypts your emails and doesn’t collect personal information. Together, these tools make it much harder for anyone to track your emails back to you. Here’s a quick guide on how to send an anonymous email.