Getting started with ProtonMail

ProtonMail is a secure email service based in Switzerland featuring end-to-end encryption, and a strong focus on privacy and security.
The service is available as a web version, and as applications for Android and iOS devices. The three core pillars of ProtonMail from a security and privacy point of view are support for end to end encryption, the service's zero access architecture, and use of open source cryptography.
Tip: Read our initial ProtonMail review which we published in 2014 as well.
End to end encryption means that data is stored in encrypted format on ProtonMail's servers, and that it is also encrypted when it is transferred. Messages between ProtonMail users are fully encrypted, a stark contrast to how regular email transmissions are handled (unless PGP or similar encryption is used).
Data is encrypted on the client side so that ProtonMail cannot access emails and other content. Since data is encrypted and decrypted on the user device, ProtonMail and any third-party cannot access these emails because of that.
Setting up a ProtonMail account
ProtonMail supports a free limited account, and several paid accounts. All plans support the same security features which makes the free account an ideal plan to start with as you can use it to test the service ProtonMail offers. Upgrades to paid accounts are always an option.
You get 500 Megabytes of storage with a free account, and a message limit of 150 messages per day. While storage may become an issue quickly, the number of messages should not.
ProtonMail does not display ads or uses other forms of monetization to make money off of free users. The service does add a "Sent with ProtonMail Secure Email" to messages sent using free accounts however.
The first paid account, Plus, raises the storage to 5 Gigabytes, adds four additional email addresses to the account, and enables email filters and autoresponder functionality. You do get support for one custom address on top of that. It is available for $48 per year.
Extras can be purchased by paid subscribers: Extra storage is available for $9 per year and Gigabyte, extra domains for $18 per year, and extra addresses for $9 per 5 addresses.
Setup
Setup is straightforward. I suggest you start by creating a free account, but you may select one of the paid plans during setup already.
All you have to do then is to set the username and password that you want to use, and you are ready to go. You may add an alternative email as well, but that is optional.
ProtonMail requires no verification whatsoever (email, mobile phone), and can be used right after you have set up the account.
Using ProtonMail
The web interface of the email service supports two layouts that use three or two columns respectively. The three column layout displays mail folders, mails of the selected folder, and the active conversation in columns; the two column layout only the folders and either the active folder or the active conversation.
You may want to do the following things during the initial setup:
- Open the Settings, and change the display name and add a signature.
- Disable daily email notifications.
- Decide whether you want to allow password resets. (this restores access to the account, but will make any email that is in the account up to that point unreadable).
- Enable Two-Password mode. This is a legacy mode which uses different passwords for login and mailbox encryption.
- Set "load embedded images" to manual.
- Check out the keyboard shortcuts, e.g. c to open compose, Ctrl-Enter to send messages, or / to focus the search field.
- Enable or disable email subscriptions (three out of four are enabled by default for free accounts).
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication under Settings > Security.
- Change the composer size and other layout related settings under Settings > Appearance.
You can download the PGP key to your system under Settings > Keys. This key can then be imported into programs that support PGP so that you may access your emails on these devices as well.
Closing words
ProtonMail is a secure email service that focuses on privacy and security. No one but the user has access to emails thanks to the service's implementation of end to end encryption. The service does not display ads to you, and does not read emails either.
The free version is good to take the service for a test ride, but it is somewhat limited. The inability to remove the "ad for Protonmail" when sending emails, and the limit to one address, no filters and no custom addresses need to be mentioned in this regard. The 500 Megabyte limit may also be reached quickly depending on how you use the service.
The cheapest paid subscription is available for $48 per year; quite a bit of money especially since email is seen as something that is available for free by many Internet users. Still, if you don't want someone else snooping on your emails, or that your emails are read online by robots or even human beings, you need end to end encryption for that.
While you can set up PGP on your device and start using it, doing so may be too technical (still) for many users.
Now You: Which email provider do you use, and why?






You said that Outlook isn’t your main email client, so which is your main one?
I think its thunderbird
It is Mozilla Thunderbird.
Awesome! This actually solved my problem… what a stupid bug.
If this is the same bug that I’ve encountered, there may be another fix: (1) hover over open Outlook item in Taskbar, cursor up to hover over Outlook window item, and right-click; (2) this should give you Restore / Move / Size / Minimize / Maximize — choose Move or Size; (3) use your cursor keys, going arbitrarily N/S/E/W, to try to move or size the Outlook window back into view. Basically, the app behaves as though it were open in a 0x0 window, or at a location that’s offscreen, and this will frequently work to resize and/or move the window. Don’t forget to close while resized/moved, so that Outlook remembers the size/position for next time.
THANK YOU Claude!!! I could get the main window to launch but could not get any other message window to show on the desktop. You are my hero!!!!
Solved my issue! 6 years later and this is still problem…
Fantastic. Thank you. Size did the trick.
This solved my Outlook problem, too. Thank you. :)
Thank you so much, this started happening to me today and was causing big problems. You are a life saver, I hope I can help you in some way some day.
You are a god – thank you!
thanks a lot…. work like charm.. :-)
Yah…thanks Claude. I’ve been having the same problem and tried all the suggestions…your solution was the answer. It had resized itself to a 0/0 box. Cheers
Excellent post. This had me baffled even trying to accurately describe the problem. This fixed it for me.
Thank you
Thanks a lot for the article. Don’t know why it happenend, don’t know how it got fixed, but it was really annoying and now it works :-)
Thanks a lot. I was facing this issue from past 3 week. I tried everything but no resolution. The issue was happening intermittently and mainly when I was changing the display of screen ( as i use 2 monitors). The only option i had was to do system restore. But thanks to you.
I’ve been tried to sole this problem for 12hours. Your comment about changing the display of screen helped me a lot!! Thanks!!
Thank you…don’t know why this happened but your instructions helped me fix it. Running Windows 10 and office pro 2007
Great tip! Thanks!
Worked for me, too – thank you!!!
It’s Worked for me, too
thank you very much!
I had a similar issue with Outlook 2013 on Windows 10 and this helped me to fix it. Thank you very much!
Thank you so much. Solved!
Considering you published this in 2012, incredible not been debugged by Microsoft.
Thank you again. M
This problem was faced by only one user logging to TS 2008 r2 using outlook 2010.The issue was resolved.
Thanks.
Great tip. Thank you!!!! If it helps, I had to use the Control Key and the arrow keys at the same time to bring my window back into view. Worked like a charm.
Thank you, this worked !!!!
Man, you are a fucking god. Thanks a lot, what an annoying bug!!
Awesome, this post solved the issue. Many thanks!