Self destroying email gmail

You're looking for a way to set up an email that self-destructs after a certain period of time, similar to the concept of "burner emails" or "ephemeral emails". While Gmail doesn't have a built-in feature for self-destructing emails, there are a few workarounds you can use:

Method 1: Use a third-party add-on

There are several third-party add-ons available for Gmail that offer self-destructing email functionality. Here are a few options:

  1. Sanebox: This add-on allows you to set a timer for your emails to self-destruct after a certain period of time. You can set the timer to anywhere from 1 minute to 1 year.
  2. Boomerang: This add-on offers a feature called "Boomerang Later" that allows you to schedule an email to be deleted after a certain period of time.
  3. Snooze: This add-on allows you to schedule an email to be deleted after a certain period of time, as well as snooze it for a later time.

Method 2: Use a temporary email address

Another way to achieve self-destructing emails is to use a temporary email address that is only valid for a short period of time. Here's how:

  1. Create a new Gmail account specifically for this purpose.
  2. Set up a forwarding rule in your main Gmail account to forward emails to this temporary account.
  3. Set a reminder or timer to delete the temporary account after a certain period of time.

Method 3: Use a script

If you're comfortable with coding, you can use a script to automate the process of deleting emails after a certain period of time. Here's an example of how you could use a Google Apps Script to achieve this:

  1. Create a new script in your Gmail account.
  2. Use the getThreads() method to retrieve the threads you want to self-destruct.
  3. Use a loop to iterate through the threads and delete them after a certain period of time.

Here's some sample code to get you started:

function selfDestructEmails() {
  var threads = GmailApp.getThreads();
  for (var i = 0; i < threads.length; i++) {
    var thread = threads[i];
    var timestamp = thread.getLastMessage().getTimestamp();
    var timeDiff = (new Date() - timestamp) / 1000;
    if (timeDiff > 3600) { // 1 hour
      thread.delete();
    }
  }
}

Keep in mind that these methods may have limitations and may not be suitable for all use cases. Additionally, it's important to note that self-destructing emails may not be suitable for all types of communication, and you should consider the potential consequences of using this type of email.