What happens to my email address after I delete my account?

Your @protonmail.com or @proton.me email address enters a waiting period (typically 6 months) after deletion, then becomes available for new users to register. Someone else could claim your former email address and receive emails intended for you.

Will I get a refund for my paid subscription?

No. Proton does not provide refunds for remaining subscription time when you delete your account. If you have months or years of paid service remaining, that value is completely forfeited. It's better to cancel auto-renewal and use your subscription until it expires naturally.

Can I delete my account if I have 2FA enabled?

Yes, but you'll need your 2FA code to complete the deletion process. Have your authenticator app or 2FA device ready when you initiate account deletion. The 2FA code is required to verify your identity before permanent deletion.

Can I reactivate my Proton account after deletion?

No. Account deletion is permanent and absolute. There is no reactivation, recovery, or grace period. Once deleted, your account and all associated data are gone forever. You can create a new account, but you may not be able to use the same email address if someone else has claimed it.

How long does it take to delete my Proton account?

Free accounts are typically deleted immediately upon confirmation. Paid accounts may need to wait until the current subscription period expires. Complete data removal from Proton's systems happens immediately for free accounts and after subscription expiry for paid accounts.

What should I do before deleting my ProtonMail account?

Export all emails (using Bridge or forwarding), save contacts and calendar events, download Proton Drive files, update email addresses on all important services, export PGP keys if used, and cancel paid subscriptions. Most importantly, ensure you have backups of any encrypted emails you need to keep.

How to Delete Your ProtonMail Account - Step-by-Step Guide (2025)

Written & Verified By

Delete.Directory Content Team

Our team of privacy advocates and digital rights experts has helped over 100,000 users reclaim control of their online presence. We test every deletion process to ensure accuracy.

This guide helps you permanently delete your ProtonMail account. We believe in digital autonomy: your right to leave any platform should be as easy as joining it. Follow these verified steps to ensure complete account deletion.

How We Verified This Guide

Methodology: Hands-on testing with live accounts

Quick Information

Time Required

15 minutes

Difficulty

medium

Steps

5 steps

Official Resources

Official Proton Support - Delete Your Account

Official deletion guide from ProtonMail

Additional Resources

[1]

Proton Privacy Policy

Official privacy policy explaining Swiss privacy laws and data protection

[2]

Proton Terms and Conditions

Legal terms regarding account closure and data retention

[3]

Export ProtonMail Data

Guide to exporting emails, contacts, and calendar before deletion

Step-by-Step Guide

Export All Important Emails and Data

Before deleting your ProtonMail account, export all important emails, contacts, calendar events, and files. ProtonMail uses end-to-end encryption, so once your account is deleted, this data cannot be recovered by anyone, including Proton. Use the ProtonMail Bridge or export features to backup your data.

Tips

•Use ProtonMail Bridge (paid feature) for full email export
•Free users can forward important emails to another account
•Export contacts and calendar events separately
•Download any files stored in Proton Drive
•Save your PGP encryption keys if used

Warnings

•Encrypted emails cannot be recovered after deletion by anyone
•ProtonMail Bridge requires paid subscription for export features

Cancel Proton Paid Subscriptions

If you have a paid Proton subscription (Mail Plus, Unlimited, Visionary, etc.), you should cancel it before deleting your account. Go to Settings > Dashboard > Subscription and select 'Downgrade account' or cancel auto-renewal. Your paid features continue until the billing period ends.

Tips

•Cancel subscription to avoid future charges
•Paid access continues until end of billing period
•No refunds for partially used subscription periods
•Consider using remaining paid time before deletion

Warnings

•Remaining subscription time is forfeited upon deletion without refund
•Storage limits reduce to free tier immediately after cancellation

Update Email Address for Important Services

Change your email address on all important accounts, subscriptions, and services that use your ProtonMail address. This includes financial accounts, social media, work accounts, and any service where you need continued access.

Tips

•Make a list of important accounts using ProtonMail
•Update email on financial and healthcare accounts first
•Change primary email on social media platforms
•Update email for subscriptions and newsletters
•Consider using a password manager to track accounts

Warnings

•You'll lose access to accounts if you forget to update email addresses
•Password reset emails won't be received after deletion

Disable Two-Factor Authentication

If you have 2FA enabled on your Proton account, you may want to disable it before deletion to simplify the process. However, you'll need your 2FA code to complete the deletion. Go to Settings > Account > Two-factor authentication.

Tips

•Have your 2FA device ready for the deletion process
•Disable 2FA only if it causes issues during deletion
•Save recovery codes if you haven't already
•Consider leaving 2FA enabled for security until final deletion

Warnings

•Need 2FA code to complete account deletion if enabled

Delete Your Proton Account

Log into your Proton account, go to Settings > Account > Delete account. ProtonMail will ask you to confirm deletion, explain the consequences, and require your password (and 2FA code if enabled). Select a reason for deletion (optional) and confirm permanent account deletion. Free accounts are deleted immediately; paid accounts may have a brief waiting period.

Tips

•Read all deletion warnings carefully before proceeding
•Deletion is immediate for free accounts
•Paid accounts may need to wait until subscription expires
•You'll receive a confirmation email at an alternate address if provided
•Your ProtonMail address becomes available for others after deletion

Warnings

•Account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone
•All emails, contacts, calendar, and Drive files permanently deleted
•Encrypted data cannot be recovered by anyone after deletion
•Your email address may be reused by another user after 6 months

Important Warnings

All Encrypted Emails Permanently and Irrecoverably Lost

ProtonMail uses end-to-end encryption, meaning only you can decrypt your emails. Once your account is deleted, ALL emails are permanently and irrecoverably lost. Even Proton cannot recover your emails because they never had the decryption keys. This is fundamentally different from other email providers.

Email Address Released and Can Be Claimed by Others

After account deletion, your @protonmail.com or @proton.me email address enters a waiting period (typically 6 months) and then becomes available for new users to register. Someone else could claim your former email address and potentially receive emails intended for you.

Lose Access to All Proton Services

Deleting your Proton account removes access to ALL Proton services including ProtonMail, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive, Proton VPN, and Proton Pass. All data across these services is permanently deleted. If you use multiple Proton products, everything is lost in one deletion.

Paid Subscription Time Forfeited Without Refund

If you have an active paid subscription (Mail Plus, Unlimited, Visionary), deleting your account forfeits all remaining subscription time without refund. If you have months or years of prepaid service remaining, that value is completely lost. Cancel and use until expiration instead.

Cannot Recover Account or Purchase History

Account deletion is permanent and absolute. You cannot recover your account, reactivate it, or access any purchase history or billing records. There is no grace period or account recovery process. Once deleted, it's gone forever from Proton's systems.

PGP Encryption Keys Permanently Lost

If you use custom PGP encryption keys with ProtonMail, these keys will be permanently deleted. Anyone who encrypted emails to you using your public key will not be able to communicate with you securely anymore. Export your keys before deletion if needed.

Alternatives to Consider

Downgrade to Free Account Instead of Deleting

easy

Cancel your paid subscription and downgrade to Proton's free plan instead of fully deleting your account. This keeps your email address and data accessible while eliminating ongoing costs.

Pros

•Keep email address and all existing emails
•Maintain access to Proton Calendar and Drive (limited)
•No cost for basic free tier features
•Can upgrade again anytime if needed
•Preserve email address so others can't claim it

Cons

•Limited to 500MB storage on free plan
•Reduced features compared to paid plans
•Account data still stored by Proton
•May receive upgrade prompts
•Doesn't fully address privacy concerns if that's your goal

5 min

Export Data and Use Account Sparingly

easy

Export all important data but keep the account active for receiving emails only. Stop using it as your primary email but maintain it as a backup or for specific privacy-focused communications.

Pros

•Keep email address for important secure communications
•Maintain end-to-end encrypted email capability
•Can receive emails without actively using the account
•Preserve existing email history and contacts
•No loss of encrypted communication channel

Cons

•Need to check multiple email accounts
•Account still exists with personal data
•May forget to check it regularly
•Doesn't eliminate Proton presence if that's your goal

10 min

Forward Emails to New Provider

medium

Set up email forwarding to a new email provider (paid feature) before downgrading to free or deleting. This ensures you don't miss important emails during transition.

Pros

•Catch emails during transition period
•Gradually migrate services to new email
•Reduced risk of missing important messages
•Time to properly update all accounts

Cons

•Forwarding requires paid subscription
•Forwarded emails lose end-to-end encryption
•Temporary solution only
•Adds complexity to email management

20 min

Frequently Asked Questions

No. ProtonMail uses end-to-end encryption, and only you have the decryption keys. Once your account is deleted, all emails are permanently and irrecoverably lost. Even Proton cannot recover them because they never had access to decrypt your emails. Export everything important before deletion.

References & Citations

[1]
Proton Privacy Policy
Official privacy policy explaining Swiss privacy laws and data protection
https://proton.me/legal/privacy
[2]
Proton Terms and Conditions
Legal terms regarding account closure and data retention
https://proton.me/legal/terms
[3]
Export ProtonMail Data
Guide to exporting emails, contacts, and calendar before deletion
https://proton.me/support/export-emails

All citations verified as of 11/8/2025. We regularly review and update all external links to ensure accuracy.

Found incorrect information?

We strive for accuracy. If something's outdated or wrong, let us know.

Report incorrect information

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Critical Warnings

All Encrypted Emails Permanently and Irrecoverably Lost
ProtonMail uses end-to-end encryption, meaning only you can decrypt your emails. Once your account i...
Email Address Released and Can Be Claimed by Others
After account deletion, your @protonmail.com or @proton.me email address enters a waiting period (ty...
Lose Access to All Proton Services
Deleting your Proton account removes access to ALL Proton services including ProtonMail, Proton Cale...

Last Updated

November 8, 2025

ProtonMail Account Deletion

How We Verified This Guide

Quick Information

Official Resources

Additional Resources

Step-by-Step Guide

Export All Important Emails and Data

Cancel Proton Paid Subscriptions

Update Email Address for Important Services

Disable Two-Factor Authentication

Delete Your Proton Account

Important Warnings

All Encrypted Emails Permanently and Irrecoverably Lost

Email Address Released and Can Be Claimed by Others

Lose Access to All Proton Services

Paid Subscription Time Forfeited Without Refund

Cannot Recover Account or Purchase History

PGP Encryption Keys Permanently Lost

Alternatives to Consider

Downgrade to Free Account Instead of Deleting

Export Data and Use Account Sparingly

Forward Emails to New Provider

Frequently Asked Questions

References & Citations

Found incorrect information?

Quick Navigation

Related Guides

Critical Warnings

Tags