Automation guide · AI agents
Temporary email for AI agents and browser automation
An agent that can fill forms but cannot observe email is blocked by verification messages, magic links and other inbox-driven steps. Inboxes.Run exposes short-lived receive-only inboxes through REST API and IMAP.
Agent tool pattern
Wrap a small set of REST calls as tools in your agent runtime: create inbox, list messages, read latest code and delete inbox. Inboxes.Run does not require a native MCP integration for this pattern. Your existing agent can call the REST API directly or through your own wrapper.
Minimal Python wrapper
import json, os, urllib.request
API = "https://inboxes.run/api/v1"
KEY = os.environ["INBOXESRUN_API_KEY"]
def inbox_request(path, method="GET", body=None):
data = None if body is None else json.dumps(body).encode()
req = urllib.request.Request(API + path, data=data, method=method, headers={
"Authorization": f"Bearer {KEY}",
"Content-Type": "application/json",
})
with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as response:
return json.load(response)
def create_inbox():
return inbox_request("/mailboxes", "POST", {})
def get_messages(mailbox_id):
return inbox_request(f"/mailboxes/{mailbox_id}/messages")
def get_latest_code(mailbox_id):
return inbox_request(f"/mailboxes/{mailbox_id}/latest-code")Recommended workflow
- Agent requests a new inbox.
- Browser automation uses the returned address.
- Agent triggers the authorized email flow.
- Agent polls messages or the latest-code endpoint.
- Agent continues only after the expected email evidence appears.
What this is not
A temporary inbox is not durable agent identity. Mailboxes are short-lived and receive-only. For workflows that require a permanent address for months or years, use a persistent mailbox or a domain you control.
Try it
Open a temporary inbox in the browser for free. For programmatic use, sign in and open API / IMAP to generate an API key and see the current limits.