Virtual mailboxes - temporary email storage
When you add a mailbox in Cleanbox, you choose between two types: IMAP (connects to an external email account) and Virtual (stores email within Cleanbox itself). This article explains how virtual mailboxes work and when they are useful.
What is a virtual mailbox?
A virtual mailbox is an email storage container that lives entirely within Cleanbox. Unlike an IMAP mailbox, it does not connect to an external email provider like Gmail or Outlook. Emails delivered to aliases linked to a virtual mailbox are stored on Cleanbox's servers and can be viewed through the message log in the dashboard.
How retention works
Emails in virtual mailboxes are kept for a limited number of days based on your plan:
| Plan | Retention |
|---|---|
| Free | 7 days |
| Personal | 30 days |
| Premium | 60 days |
| Advanced | 120 days |
| Enterprise | 365 days |
After the retention period, messages are automatically deleted. This applies to the raw email content and attachments. Message metadata (sender, subject, timestamp, spam score) is retained in the message log.
IMAP vs Virtual - when to use each
| IMAP | Virtual | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Your primary email workflow | Temporary aliases, testing, or throwaway addresses |
| Email storage | On your email provider (Gmail, Outlook, etc.) | On Cleanbox servers, limited by retention |
| Requires credentials | Yes (email + app password) | No |
| Access email in client | Yes (your regular email app) | Through Cleanbox dashboard only |
| Long-term storage | Yes (stored by your provider) | No (deleted after retention period) |
| Setup time | 1-2 minutes (provider selection + credentials) | Instant (just a name) |
When virtual mailboxes make sense
- Quick testing — You want to test an alias setup without connecting a real email account
- Throwaway aliases — You need a temporary address for a one-time sign-up and do not care about long-term access
- Privacy compartmentalization — You want certain emails to never reach your real inbox at all
- Monitoring — You want to observe what email arrives at a specific address without cluttering your inbox
Creating a virtual mailbox
- Go to Mailboxes → Add Mailbox
- Select Virtual Mailbox
- Enter a display name (e.g., "Temporary" or "Testing")
- Click Create
You can then link aliases to this virtual mailbox just like you would with an IMAP mailbox.
Limitations
- Virtual mailbox emails are only accessible through the Cleanbox dashboard — they do not appear in any external email client
- Retention is strictly enforced — there is no way to extend retention for individual messages
- If you need longer retention, either upgrade your plan or switch to an IMAP mailbox
- All Cleanbox features (filters, Shield, contact states, spam detection) work identically on virtual mailboxes
