Waiting for a verification code that never arrives? Start with this delivery checklist.

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Delivery diagnosis · Check first, then retry

Verification code not arriving? Find the sticking point

Temporary email can receive verification messages, but only if the sending platform accepts the domain and actually sends the email. A “sent” message doesn't mean it has reached your inbox.

Can't receive a verification code at your temporary email? Check the address and expiry time first, then review the website's message and decide whether to wait, retry or use a different type of address.

Start troubleshooting Back to inbox
Lift the cloak and see where your email is stuck
  1. 01
    Address is correct

    Check every character and the domain; make sure it was copied correctly

    You check
  2. 02
    Address is active

    Use the live countdown in your inbox

    Check the homepage
  3. 03
    Platform sends

    Domain accepted, no rate limit, request submitted

    Platform decides
  4. 04
    Email arrives

    A real message appears in your inbox

    Check your inbox

This is a checklist, not real-time delivery tracking. We can't see the sending platform's internal queue.

Start with three checks

Don't rush to change addresses. Keep this inbox available

Compare the signup page with your inbox. These three facts are more useful than repeatedly clicking “Resend.”

01 / Address

Did you enter the full address, and is it still active?

Compare the address on the signup page with the one shown on the homepage, character by character, including the domain after @. Then check the live time remaining. Don't copy an example address from a guide.

They don't match, or you're not sure
Go to the homepage, copy the address again, replace the entire address on the signup page, then try once more.
They match and haven't expired
Keep using this inbox and check the sending platform's message.
Copy and check the address
02 / Sending

Did the website actually say the email was sent?

Messages like “Invalid email,” “Domain not supported” or “Too many attempts” point to an issue with the sender. Refreshing your inbox won't fix these restrictions.

Address rejected or rate-limited
Follow the platform's instructions and wait for the cooldown, or ask which email types it accepts.
Says sent, or the message is unclear
Note when you made the request. If the message is unclear, don't treat it as proof of delivery.
Continue based on the message
03 / History

Have you waited or requested the code more than once?

Note when you last requested a code and whether the website showed a cooldown message. Repeated requests may invalidate older codes or trigger a rate limit.

Requested once just now
Keep the address active, allow time for delivery, then check your inbox manually.
Still nothing after several resends
Stop clicking. Check the platform's status; if you contact support, share the request time—not the verification code.
See when to wait or retry

Delivery troubleshooting tool

Based on what you're seeing, find your next step

Check up to four items. Your selections are processed on this page only. We won't access your email, request a verification code or change your address.

Check 1 / 4 On-page guidance · Not delivery tracking
Does the address on the signup page exactly match the one on the homepage?

Does the address on the signup page exactly match the one on the homepage?

Check the domain after @, watch for spaces at either end and don't use an example address.

This diagnosis is based on what you report seeing; it doesn't guarantee delivery. Codes in demo emails are for display only and can't be used to sign in to other websites.

Waiting doesn't mean resending over and over

Give the email time, and keep the address active

Sender queues, anti-abuse checks and delivery delays can all affect when an email arrives. There's no universal “arrives in seconds” guarantee, and we don't show made-up progress percentages.

Keep the current inbox while you wait

Check the actual time remaining on the homepage. If the address is still active but running low, select “Extend by 3 hours.” This really adds 3 hours; it doesn't reset or speed up delivery progress.

Don't switch addresses just to hurry things along: changing addresses deactivates the old inbox. Emails sent to the old address won't automatically go to the new one, and refreshing can't bring them back.

Check time remaining
  1. 1

    Note when you made the request

    Write down the website, request time and exact message shown. These details make it easier to investigate than simply saying, “I haven't received anything.”

  2. 2

    Wait, then check for a real email

    The homepage checks for new messages silently every 7 seconds, and you can also refresh manually. Only a real message in the list means it arrived here; demo emails don't count.

  3. 3

    Retry according to the sender's cooldown

    If there's a resend countdown, wait for it to finish. If no timing is given, don't keep clicking. Repeated requests may trigger anti-abuse checks or invalidate an earlier code.

  4. 4

    If several arrive, use the latest valid code

    Follow the sending platform's rules and use the latest valid request. Check the email's time and purpose. Don't enter an old sign-in code into a new signup flow.

Take action based on what you find

Change one thing at a time

Complete the relevant step, then check what happens. Don't change addresses, resend codes and switch signup flows all at once, or it will be hard to tell which code is valid.

01

Address doesn't match → Copy the whole address and check again

Use the copy button on the homepage to get the current address, then replace the address on the signup page. Check @, the domain and any extra spaces. Once everything matches, request a code according to the website's rules.

Go back and copy the address
02

Address is correct and active → Check your inbox once

Select refresh above the message list to check for a real email. Refreshing only checks for messages that have arrived; it can't ask the sending platform to resend or bypass its restrictions.

Go refresh
03

Almost expired → Add 3 hours to the current inbox

If the address hasn't expired, select “Extend by 3 hours” to keep using it. If it has expired, don't assume extending it will restore old messages. First check which address is currently active on the homepage.

Check and extend
04

Platform rejects the address, or email still hasn't arrived → Check its guidance

Visit the website where you're requesting the code to check its help pages or contact its support team. Share the request time, exact message and email domain. Never share your sign-in code or inbox credentials with support.

Resolve this on the sending website
05

Need long-term account recovery and notifications? Choose a long-term address

Long-term aliases can forward messages to your real inbox, making them useful when you need ongoing access. But they don't guarantee that a platform will accept the domain. Compare how the options work before creating one.

Compare address options
Changing addresses means starting over, not speeding up delivery.

If you need a new address, update it on the website and request another verification code. The old inbox will be deactivated, so don't rely on its messages being available. Save anything important separately first.

Similar symptoms can have different causes

“I didn't receive the email” and “I received it, but the code doesn't work” need different troubleshooting steps.

Only one platform can't send me a code. Is my inbox broken?

Not necessarily. Platforms differ in whether they accept disposable email, how often they send messages and how their delivery queues work. Receiving other real emails is a useful clue, but it doesn't prove this one was sent. Note the platform's message and request time, then check its help pages. Don't keep changing addresses to test its restrictions.

Why did the first code stop working after I requested another?

Some platforms invalidate an old code as soon as they generate a new one, and emails don't always arrive in the order requested. Follow the platform's rules and use the latest valid request. Check the email's time, expiry and whether it's for signup or sign-in. Don't cycle through codes from multiple emails, or you may trigger further restrictions.

The website clearly says it doesn't accept temporary email. Should I keep waiting?

If the page explicitly rejects the domain, waiting and refreshing usually won't help: the request may never have entered the sending process. Use an email type the platform allows, or ask it to confirm its requirements. Email aliases may be subject to the same domain policy; they aren't a guaranteed way around a rejection. First, see the difference between disposable email and aliases.

The email arrived, but the code still doesn't work. What should I check?

Delivery is complete, so check whether the code has expired, belongs to the current account and matches the action you're taking, and whether a resend invalidated it. Avoid copying extra spaces. If it still fails, follow the sending platform's recovery or support process. The X and Spotify demo emails on the homepage weren't sent to your account, and their example content can't be used for verification.

Will extending my inbox make an email that hasn't been sent arrive sooner?

No. Extending only adds 3 hours to the current temporary address's validity. It won't prompt the sender, change its queue or restore an expired verification code. Use it when the inbox is still active and you need more time to wait. Check the actual time remaining in the inbox on the homepage.

What should I include when contacting InboxCloak support?

For tool issues such as being unable to generate an address on the homepage or repeated refresh failures, email support@inboxcloak.com with the time it happened, your browser and the error message you saw. Don't include sign-in codes, inbox access tokens or authenticator keys. Hide sensitive information in screenshots. If a website rejects the domain or a code doesn't work, contact the sending platform instead.

Check this email first, then decide what to do

For short-term verification codes, return to your current inbox and keep checking. For long-term notifications and account recovery, first understand the limits of each address type.

Go to the homepage inbox See if you need a long-term address