What happens when you delete a ProtonMail account
When you delete a ProtonMail account, the account and all its data are permanently removed from ProtonMail's servers within 30 days. Your email address becomes unavailable and cannot be recovered. Any emails, contacts, calendar entries, or files stored in that account are deleted and cannot be restored.
Before you delete, understand that this is irreversible. If you have important emails or documents, download or forward them to another email address first. Once the 30-day deletion window closes, ProtonMail cannot retrieve anything.
If you are trying to regain access to a locked account instead of permanently removing it, deletion is not the right step. ProtonMail offers account recovery options if you have forgotten your password or lost access to your recovery email.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting your ProtonMail account removes it permanently after 30 days, and all emails and data cannot be recovered.
- You must log into your account to delete it; if you cannot log in, use the password recovery process instead.
- Download or forward important emails before deletion, since nothing can be restored after the 30-day window closes.
- Paid ProtonMail subscriptions will continue to charge until you cancel the subscription before deleting the account.
- After deletion, your email address remains unavailable for at least 30 days and may not be reusable afterward.
Steps to delete your account from the ProtonMail website
Log into your ProtonMail account at protonmail.com. Once you are signed in, click your profile icon or avatar in the top right corner of the screen, then select Settings from the dropdown menu.
In the Settings page, look for the left sidebar menu and click Account. Scroll down to the bottom of the Account page until you see a red section labeled Delete Account. Click the button that says Delete Account.
ProtonMail will ask you to confirm your password. Enter your password and click Confirm. You will then see a warning that explains the deletion is permanent and lists what will be deleted: your account, emails, calendar, contacts, and files.
Check the box that says I understand that this action cannot be undone, then click Delete Account again. Your account will be scheduled for deletion and will be fully removed within 30 days.
Cancel your paid subscription before deleting
If you pay for ProtonMail Plus, Professional, or Visionary, you must cancel your subscription before deleting your account. If you delete the account without canceling, your payment method may still be charged for the next billing cycle.
To cancel your subscription, go to Settings > Billing and look for your active plan. Click Manage Subscription or Cancel Subscription. Confirm the cancellation. After your subscription is canceled, you can proceed with account deletion.
If you have already been charged after deleting your account, contact ProtonMail support through their support portal at protonmail.com/support. Provide your former email address and the date of the unwanted charge. ProtonMail can issue refunds for charges that occur after account deletion.
What to do if you cannot log into your account
If you have forgotten your password or cannot access your account, you cannot delete it through the Settings menu. Instead, use ProtonMail's password recovery process. Go to protonmail.com and click Sign In, then click Forgot Password.
Enter your email address and ProtonMail will send a recovery link to the recovery email address you set up when you created the account. If you no longer have access to that recovery email, click Can't access recovery email? and ProtonMail will ask you security questions or other verification methods.
Once you have reset your password and regained access, log in and follow the deletion steps in the Settings menu. If you cannot recover access through any of these methods, contact ProtonMail support directly and explain that you want to delete the account but cannot log in. They can verify your identity and process the deletion for you.
Download your data before the 30-day deletion window closes
ProtonMail does not offer a built-in data export tool, but you can download emails manually before deletion. The most practical approach is to forward important emails to another email account you control.
Open each email you want to keep, click the three-dot menu icon, and select Forward. Send it to your backup email address. For large numbers of emails, this is time-consuming, so prioritize emails with attachments, financial records, or important correspondence.
If you use ProtonMail with an email client like Thunderbird or Outlook, you can configure it to download emails locally before you delete the account. Set up the account in your email client, let it sync all messages, then the emails will remain on your computer even after the ProtonMail account is deleted.
What happens to your email address after deletion
Your ProtonMail email address is reserved for 30 days after deletion and cannot be used to create a new account during this period. After 30 days, the address may become available for someone else to register, though ProtonMail does not may provide this.
If you think you might want to use the same email address again in the future, do not delete the account. Instead, consider deactivating it or simply stopping use of it. A deactivated account keeps the address reserved under your name and can be reactivated if you change your mind.
If you have already deleted the account and want to reclaim the email address, wait at least 30 days and then attempt to create a new ProtonMail account with that address. If it is still unavailable, contact ProtonMail support to ask about the status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a ProtonMail account deletion?
No. Once the 30-day deletion window closes, the account and all data are permanently gone and cannot be restored. If you have just deleted your account and want to stop the deletion, contact ProtonMail support immediately and explain that you want to cancel the deletion request. They may be able to halt it if you reach them within a few hours.
Will deleting my ProtonMail account affect my other ProtonMail services?
If you use other ProtonMail services like ProtonVPN, ProtonDrive, or ProtonCalendar with the same account, deleting your account will remove access to all of them. If these services are tied to a paid subscription, cancel that subscription first to avoid continued charges.
What if I only want to stop using ProtonMail but might come back later?
Deleting is permanent. If you might return, leave the account inactive instead. You can stop checking it and let it sit unused. If you change your mind later, you can log back in. Deactivation is not a standard ProtonMail feature, but simply not using the account preserves your option to return.
How long does it take for ProtonMail to fully delete my account?
ProtonMail removes the account from its servers within 30 days of the deletion request. The process is not instant. During this 30-day window, your account is inaccessible but the data has not yet been permanently erased from all backup systems.
Can I delete my account if I have an active ProtonMail alias?
Yes, but deleting your main account will also delete all aliases associated with it. If you want to keep using an alias email address, do not delete the account. Instead, you can remove individual aliases from your account settings while keeping the main account active.