How to Sign In to Proton Mail

Proton Mail uses your Proton Account: the same sign-in works for Proton Mail, Calendar, Drive and VPN. You can sign in on the web at mail.proton.me or in the Proton Mail apps for iPhone and Android.

Sign in

1. Go to mail.proton.me (or open the Proton Mail app).
2. Enter your username or full Proton address. If your account was created with a non-Proton email address, enter that full address — the username alone won't work.
3. Enter your password.
4. If two-factor authentication is on, enter the code from your authenticator app or use your security key.

Older accounts may have an address ending in @protonmail.ch rather than @protonmail.com or @proton.me. Use the right domain, or just the username.

If you're asked for a second password

Some older accounts use two-password mode: a login password to get in, and a separate mailbox password to decrypt your mail. Both are needed every time. Proton calls it a legacy feature and recommends one password plus two-factor authentication instead — you can switch under Account and password in your settings.

Using Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird

Desktop email apps don't sign in to Proton directly. They connect through Proton Mail Bridge, which runs on your computer and gives the app its own local username and password. Bridge comes with paid plans such as Proton Mail Plus — not the free plan. Setup details are in Proton Mail server settings.

When sign-in fails

• “Incorrect password”: click the eye icon to see what you typed, check Caps Lock, and remove any spaces from a pasted password. If you have more than one Proton account, make sure it's the right one.
• Forgotten username: use Request a reminder, which sends it to your recovery email or phone.
• Two-factor code rejected: check that your phone's date and time are correct — a wrong clock makes codes fail.
• Lost your authenticator or security key: sign in with one of the one-time recovery codes Proton gave you when you set up two-factor authentication.
• Browser problems: clear the cache and cookies and restart the browser; try a private window to rule out extensions; make sure JavaScript and cookies are enabled; or try a different browser or the Proton app.
• Password manager won't fill it: turn off autofill and type the password — some password managers don't work with Proton, especially in two-password mode.
• Account locked for security reasons: Proton locks accounts when it sees signs of an attack. You'll be asked to verify with a code (if you have recovery methods) and change your password — do it straight away.
• Forgotten password: see resetting your Proton Mail password — and read its warning about encrypted data first.