We announced on June 13 the launch of a new mailbox offer, effective July 13, 2023, and the end of our free mailbox service on November 30, 2023. Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about these changes.
1/ What’s new?
The storage capacity for all Standard mailboxes increases from 3 GB to 10 GB per mailbox. As a reminder, we also offer Premium mailboxes with a storage capacity of 50 GB.
Also, we are introducing a second-chance recovery feature that allows you to recover messages that got deleted by mistake. You can recover inadvertently deleted email messages up to 7 days after their accidental deletion. This feature is free of charge.
The pricing of the new mailbox offer is available on our website.
2/ What will happen to my existing mailboxes?
Free mailboxes:
- If your domain is set to expire before November 30, 2023:
Since July 13, 2023, you have the possibility to convert your free mailboxes to our new offer when renewing your domain. If you do not proceed to their conversion, your mailboxes are suspended on the domain’s expiration date.
Example: if your domain expires on October 25, 2023, you have to convert your free mailboxes in order for them to remain operational after October 25, 2023. If not converted, your free mailboxes will cease functioning on October 25, 2023. Late conversion will still be possible for up to 60 days from October 25.
- If your domain is set to expire after November 30, 2023:
Your free mailboxes ceased functioning on November 30, 2023. In order for you to be able to continue using them after November 30, 2023, you can proceed with their conversion to our new paying offer (see question #3 below).
Example: if your domain expires on February 15, 2024, you have to convert your free mailboxes in order for them to remain operational after November 30, 2023. If not converted, your free mailboxes will cease functioning on November 30, 2023. Late conversion will still be possible for up to 60 days from November 30.
Paid mailboxes:
No change: paying mailboxes will remain operational until their current expiration date (date until when you have already paid for them).
You will find your mailboxes’ expiration date in your control panel: select the domain name in question, then click on the “Email” tab. Free mailboxes cease functioning on the domain’s expiration date, or on November 30, 2023 at the latest.
3/ How do I convert my free mailboxes?
Conversion is the operation that consists in moving your free mailboxes to our new system where mailboxes are charged, and choosing between a monthly and a yearly subscription for those mailboxes.
You can convert your free mailboxes by logging into your account, “Domain” section: select the domain, then click “Email”. There you will find a “Convert” button located in front of the mailboxes to convert. You then just need to click that button and opt for monthly or yearly subscription.
4/ What about mail forwarding?
The email forwarding service remains free of charge. If you only use mail forwards, you do not need a mailbox and therefore you do not have any mailbox to convert.
Mail forwarding addresses currently set in your control panel will remain operational without any action on your part after November 30, 2023.
Attention: please note that mail forwarding addresses do not let you send messages (SMTP service). Should you need to be able to send email through Gandi’s SMTP service (mail.gandi.net and/or our webmails), you will absolutely need a mailbox.
5/ What will be the new expiration date of my mailboxes?
Your mailboxes’ expiration date is now separate from the domain’s. You will therefore observe inconsistencies between your mailboxes’ expiration date and that of the corresponding domain.
As for free mailboxes expiring November 30, 2023, their new expiration date will therefore be set to either December 30, 2023 (if you opt for monthly subscription) or November 30, 2024 (if you opt for yearly subscription), after your convert them.
As a reminder, the expiration date of mailboxes that were paid before the introduction of the new offer will remain unchanged.
6/ What happens if I do not convert my free mailboxes before my domain’s expiration or before November 30, 2023?
Your free mailboxes will cease functioning on the domain’s expiration date, or on November 30, 2023 at the latest (see question #2 above). You will still have 60 more days to proceed with their late conversion, after which they will be permanently deleted.
7/ Do I need to pay for my mailboxes if I only use the POP protocol?
Yes, because messages are always stored on our servers first, prior to getting downloaded by your email software. Besides, in order to benefit from our SMTP service (outgoing email server), a mailbox is required.
