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# FairEmail support
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If you have a question, please check the frequently asked questions below first.
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At the bottom you can find how to ask other questions, request features and report bugs.
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## Authorizing accounts
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For support on authorizing an account you should consult the documentation of your provider.
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Searching for *IMAP* and the name of the provider is mostly sufficient to find the right documentation.
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To setup an account you need the IMAP and SMTP server addresses and port numbers,
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whether STARTTLS should be used and your username and password.
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In some cases you'll need to enable external access to your account and/or to use a special (app) password,
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for instance when two factor authentication is enabled.
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For authorizing:
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* Gmail / G suite: see [question 6](#user-content-faq6)
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* Outlook: see [question 14](#user-content-faq14)
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* Microsoft Exchange: see [question 8](#user-content-faq8)
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## Planned features
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None at this moment.
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Anything on this list is in random order and *might* be added in the near future.
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## Known problems
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None at this moment.
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## Frequently requested features
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* Swipe left/right to go to previous/next message: besides that swiping left/right is already being used to move messages to archive/trash, swiping also selects message text, so this will not work reliably.
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* Rich text editor: besides that very few people would use this on a small mobile device, Android doesn't support a rich text editor and most rich text editor open source projects are abandoned.
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* Widget to read e-mail: widgets can have limited user interaction only, so a widget to read e-mail would not be very useful.
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* Executing filter rules: filter rules should be executed on the server because a battery powered device with possibly an unstable internet connection is not suitable for this.
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* Resize images: this is not a feature directly related to email and there are plenty of apps that can do this for you.
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* Calendar events: opening the attached calendar file should open the related calendar app.
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* Snooze timer: snoozed emails are not supported by [IMAP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Message_Access_Protocol).
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* Badge count: there is no standard Android API for this and third party solutions might stop working anytime. For example *ShortcutBadger* [has lots of problems](https://github.com/leolin310148/ShortcutBadger/issues). You can use the provided widget instead.
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* Switch language: although it is possible to change the language of an app, Android is not designed for this. Better fix the translation in your language if needed, see [this FAQ](#user-content-faq26) about how to.
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* Select identities to show in unified inbox: this would add complexity for something which would hardly be used.
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* Better design: please let me know what you have in mind [in this forum](https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/source-email-t3824168).
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* Hide archived messages: hiding archived messages which exists in other folders too would have a performance impact.
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* Save all attachments: there is no [Storage Access Framework](https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/providers/document-provider) API to selected multiple files to save.
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* S/MIME encryption: only PGP encryption will be supported, see [this FAQ](#user-content-faq12) for more information.
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* ActiveSync: there are no maintained, open source libraries providing the ActiveSync protocol, so this cannot be added.
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Since FairEmail is meant to be privacy friendly, the following will not be added:
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* Open links without confirmation
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* Show original message without confirmation
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* Hide addresses by default: addresses play an important role in determining if a message is authentic
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* Direct file/folder access: for security/privacy reasons apps should use the [Storage Access Framework](https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/providers/document-provider)
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Confirmation or hiding the addresses section is just one tap, which is just a small price for better privacy.
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Note that your contacts could unknowingly send malicious messages if they got infected with malware.
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## Frequently Asked Questions
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* [(1) Which permissions are needed and why?](#user-content-faq1)
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* [(2) Why is there a permanent notification shown?](#user-content-faq2)
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* [(3) What are operations and why are they pending?](#user-content-faq3)
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* [(4) How can I use an invalid security certificate / IMAP STARTTLS / an empty password?](#user-content-faq4)
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* [(5) How can I customize the message view?](#user-content-faq5)
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* [(6) How can I login to Gmail / G suite?](#user-content-faq6)
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* [(7) Why are messages in the outbox not moved to the sent folder?](#user-content-faq7)
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* [(8) Can I use a Microsoft Exchange account?](#user-content-faq8)
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* [(9) What are identities?](#user-content-faq9)
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* [(11) Why is POP not supported?](#user-content-faq11)
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* [~~(10) What does 'UIDPLUS not supported' mean?~~](#user-content-faq10)
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* [(12) How does encryption/decryption work?](#user-content-faq12)
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* [(13) How does search on server work?](#user-content-faq13)
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* [(14) How can I setup Outlook with 2FA?](#user-content-faq14)
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* [(15) Why does the message text keep loading?](#user-content-faq15)
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* [(16) Why are messages not being synchronized?](#user-content-faq16)
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* [~~(17) Why does manual synchronize not work?~~](#user-content-faq17)
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* [(18) Why is the message preview not always shown?](#user-content-faq18)
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* [(19) Why are the pro features so expensive?](#user-content-faq19)
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* [(20) Can I get a refund?](#user-content-faq20)
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* [(21) How do I enable the notification light?](#user-content-faq21)
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* [(22) Why do I get 'Couldn't connect to host' ?](#user-content-faq22)
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* [(23) Why do I get 'Too many simultaneous connections' ?](#user-content-faq23)
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* [(24) What is browse messages on the server?](#user-content-faq24)
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* [(25) Why can't I select/open/save an image, attachment or a file?](#user-content-faq25)
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* [(26) Can I help to translate FairEmail in my own language?](#user-content-faq26)
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* [(27) How can I differentiate external and embedded images?](#user-content-faq27)
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* [(28) How can I manage status bar notifications?](#user-content-faq28)
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* [(29) How can I get new message notifications for other folders?](#user-content-faq29)
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* [(30) How can I use the provided quick settings?](#user-content-faq30)
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* [(31) How can I use the provided shortcuts?](#user-content-faq31)
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* [(32) How can I check if reading email is really safe?](#user-content-faq32)
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* [(33) Why are edited sender addresses not working?](#user-content-faq33)
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* [(34) How are identities matched?](#user-content-faq34)
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* [(35) Why should I be careful with viewing images, attachments and the original message?](#user-content-faq35)
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* [(36) How are settings files encrypted?](#user-content-faq36)
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* [(37) How are passwords stored?](#user-content-faq37)
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* [(38) Can you help me restore my Play store purchase?](#user-content-faq38)
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* [(39) How can I reduce the battery usage of FairEmail?](#user-content-faq39)
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* [(40) How can I reduce the network usage of FairEmail?](#user-content-faq40)
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* [(41) How can I fix the error 'Handshake failed' ?](#user-content-faq41)
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* [(42) Can you add a new provider to the list of providers?](#user-content-faq42)
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* [(43) Can you show the original ... ?](#user-content-faq43)
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* [(44) Can you show contact photos / identicons in the sent folder?](#user-content-faq44)
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* [(45) How can I fix 'This key is not available. To use it, you must import it as one of your own!' ?](#user-content-faq45)
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* [(46) Why does the message list keep refreshing?](#user-content-faq46)
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* [(47) How can I solve 'No primary account or no drafts folder' ?](#user-content-faq47)
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* [~~(48) How can I solve 'No primary account or no archive folder' ?~~](#user-content-faq48)
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* [(49) How can I fix 'FileNotFoundException ... (Permission denied)' ?](#user-content-faq49)
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* [(50) Can you add an option to synchronize all messages?](#user-content-faq50)
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* [(51) How are folders sorted?](#user-content-faq51)
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* [(52) Why does it take some time to reconnect to an account?](#user-content-faq52)
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* [(53) Can you stick the message action bar to the top/bottom?](#user-content-faq53)
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* [(54) How do I use a namespace prefix?](#user-content-faq54)
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* [(55) How can I mark all messages as read / move or delete all messages?](#user-content-faq55)
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* [(56) Can you add support for JMAP?](#user-content-faq56)
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* [(57) Can I use HTML in signatures?](#user-content-faq57)
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[I have another question.](#support)
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<a name="faq1"></a>
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**(1) Which permissions are needed and why?**
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* have full network access (INTERNET): to send and receive email
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* view network connections (ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE): to monitor internet connectivity changes
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* run at startup (RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED): to start monitoring on device start
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* in-app billing (BILLING): to allow in-app purchases
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* foreground service (FOREGROUND_SERVICE): to run a foreground service on Android 9 Pie and later, see also the next question
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* prevent device from sleeping (WAKE_LOCK): to keep the device awake while synchronizing messages
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* Optional: read your contacts (READ_CONTACTS): to autocomplete addresses and to show photos
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* Use accounts on the device (USE_CREDENTIALS): needed to select accounts on Android version 5.1 Lollipop and before (not used on later Android versions)
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* Optional: find accounts on the device (GET_ACCOUNTS): to use [OAuth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OAuth) instead of passwords
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<br />
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<a name="faq2"></a>
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**(2) Why is there a permanent notification shown?**
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A permanent status bar notification with the number of accounts being synchronized, the number of messages to send and the number of operations pending (see next question) is shown
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to prevent Android from killing the service that takes care of receiving and sending email.
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Most, if not all, other email apps don't show a notification with the "side effect" that new email is often not or late being reported.
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Background: this is necessary because of the introduction of [doze mode](https://developer.android.com/training/monitoring-device-state/doze-standby) in Android 6 Marshmallow.
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If you came here by clicking on the notification, you should known that the next click will open the unified inbox.
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<br />
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<a name="faq3"></a>
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**(3) What are operations and why are they pending?**
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The low priority status bar notification shows the number of pending operations, which can be:
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* *add*: add message to remote folder
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* *move*: move message to another remote folder
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* *delete*: delete message from remote folder
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* *send*: send message
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* *seen*: mark message as read/unread in remote folder
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* *answered*: mark message as answered in remote folder
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* *flag*: add/remove star in remote folder
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* *keyword*: add/remove IMAP flag in remote folder
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* *headers*: download message headers
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* *body*: download message text
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* *attachment*: download attachment
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* *sync*: synchronize local and remove folder
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Operations are processed only when there is a connection to the email server or when manually synchronizing.
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See also [this FAQ](#user-content-faq16).
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<br />
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<a name="faq4"></a>
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**(4) How can I use an invalid security certificate / IMAP STARTTLS / an empty password?**
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Invalid security certificate: you should try to fix this by contacting your provider or by getting a valid security certificate
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because invalid security certificates are insecure and allow [man-in-the-middle attacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-in-the-middle_attack).
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If money is an obstacle, you can get free security certificates from [Let’s Encrypt](https://letsencrypt.org).
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IMAP STARTTLS: the EFF [writes](https://www.eff.org/nl/deeplinks/2018/06/announcing-starttls-everywhere-securing-hop-hop-email-delivery):
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"*Additionally, even if you configure STARTTLS perfectly and use a valid certificate, there’s still no guarantee your communication will be encrypted.*"
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Empty password: your username is likely easily guessed, so this is very insecure.
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If you still want to use an invalid security certificate, IMAP STARTTLS or an empty password,
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you'll need to enable insecure connections in the account and/or identity settings.
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<br />
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<a name="faq5"></a>
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**(5) How can I customize the message view?**
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In the advanced settings you can enable or disable:
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* *unified inbox*: to disable the unified inbox and to list the folders selected for the unified inbox instead
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* *conversation threading*: to disable conversation threading and to show individual messages instead
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* *compact message view*: for more condensed message items and a smaller message text font
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* *show contact photos*: to hide contact photos
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* *show identicons*: to show generated contact avatars
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* *show message preview*: to show two lines of the message text
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If the list of addresses is long, you can collapse the addresses section with the *less* icon at the top of the addresses section.
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Unfortunately, it is impossible to make everybody happy and adding lots of settings would not only be confusing, but also never be sufficient.
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<br />
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<a name="faq6"></a>
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**(6) How can I login to Gmail / G suite?**
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Preferably select Gmail as provider and select an account on your device.
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To login to Gmail / G suite you'll often need an app password, for example when two factor authentication is enabled.
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See here for instructions: [https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833).
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If this doesn't work, see here for more solutions: [https://support.google.com/mail/accounts/answer/78754](https://support.google.com/mail/accounts/answer/78754)
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<br />
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<a name="faq7"></a>
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**(7) Why are messages in the outbox not moved to the sent folder?**
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Messages in the outbox are moved to the sent folder as soon as your provider adds the message to the sent folder.
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Note that this requires a sent folder to be selected and to be set to synchronizing.
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If this doesn't happen, your provider might not keep track of sent messages or you might be using an SMTP server not related to the provider.
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In these cases you can use the advanced identity setting *Store a copy of sent messages in* and select the sent folder.
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There is a menu to move sent messages in the outbox to the sent folder.
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<br />
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<a name="faq8"></a>
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**(8) Can I use a Microsoft Exchange account?**
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You can use a Microsoft Exchange account if it is accessible via IMAP.
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See here for more information: [https://support.office.com/en-us/article/what-is-a-microsoft-exchange-account-47f000aa-c2bf-48ac-9bc2-83e5c6036793](https://support.office.com/en-us/article/what-is-a-microsoft-exchange-account-47f000aa-c2bf-48ac-9bc2-83e5c6036793)
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Please see [here](#frequently-requested-features) about ActiveSync support.
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<br />
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<a name="faq9"></a>
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**(9) What are identities?**
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Identities represent email addresses you are sending *from*.
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Some providers allow you to have multiple email aliases.
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You can configure these by setting the email address field to the alias address and setting the user name field to your main email address.
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<br />
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<a name="faq10"></a>
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**~~(10) What does 'UIDPLUS not supported' mean?~~**
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~~The error message *UIDPLUS not supported* means that your email provider does not provide the IMAP [UIDPLUS extension](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4315).
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This IMAP extension is required to implement two way synchronization, which is not an optional feature.
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So, unless your provider can enable this extension, you cannot use FairEmail for this provider.~~
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<br />
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<a name="faq11"></a>
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**(11) Why is POP not supported?**
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Besides that any decent email provider supports [IMAP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Message_Access_Protocol) these days,
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using [POP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_Office_Protocol) will result in unnecessary battery usage and delayed new message notifications.
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Moreover, POP is unsuitable for two way synchronization and more often than not people read email on different devices.
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<br />
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<a name="faq12"></a>
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**(12) How does encryption/decryption work?**
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First of all you need to install and configure [OpenKeychain](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.sufficientlysecure.keychain/).
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To encrypt a message before sending, just select the menu *Encrypt*. Similarly, to decrypt a received message, just select the menu *Decrypt*.
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Encryption is [Autocrypt](https://autocrypt.org/) compatible. For security reasons received messages are not decrypted automatically.
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Encryption/decryption is a pro feature.
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Sending inline PGP encrypted messages is not supported, see [here](https://josefsson.org/inline-openpgp-considered-harmful.html) about why not.
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S/MIME is not supported because it is not used much and because key management is complex.
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There are also [security concerns](https://security.stackexchange.com/a/83752).
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Note that signed only or encrypted only messages are not supported, see here for some considerations:
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* [OpenPGP Considerations Part I](https://k9mail.github.io/2016/11/24/OpenPGP-Considerations-Part-I.html)
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* [OpenPGP Considerations Part II](https://k9mail.github.io/2017/01/30/OpenPGP-Considerations-Part-II.html)
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* [OpenPGP Considerations Part III Autocrypt](https://k9mail.github.io/2018/02/26/OpenPGP-Considerations-Part-III-Autocrypt.html)
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If you like, you can verify a signature by opening the *signature.asc* attachment.
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<br />
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<a name="faq13"></a>
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**(13) How does search on server work?**
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You can start searching for messages on sender, recipient, subject, keyword or message text by using the magnify glass in the action bar of a folder (not in the unified inbox because it could be a collection of folders).
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First local messages will be searched and after that the server will execute the search.
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Searching local messages is case insensitive and on partial text.
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The message text of local messages will not be searched if the message text was not downloaded yet.
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Searching by the server might be case sensitive or case insensitive and might be on partial text or whole words, depending on the provider.
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Searching messages is a pro feature.
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<br />
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<a name="faq14"></a>
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**(14) How can I setup Outlook with 2FA?**
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To use Outlook with two factor authentication enabled, you need to create an app password.
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See [here](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12409/microsoft-account-app-passwords-two-step-verification) for the details.
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Unfortunately, Outlook doesn't properly support OAuth for IMAP/SMTP connections, so there is no other way.
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<br />
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<a name="faq15"></a>
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**(15) Why does the message text keep loading?**
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The message header and message body are fetched separately from the server.
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The message text of larger messages is not being pre-fetched on metered connections and need to be fetched on opening the message.
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The message text will keep loading if there is no connection to the account, see also the next question.
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In the advanced settings you can set the maximum size for automatically downloading of messages on metered connections.
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|
Mobile connections are almost always metered and some (paid) Wi-Fi hotspots are too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq16"></a>
|
|
|
**(16) Why are messages not being synchronized?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Possible causes of messages not being synchronized (sent or received) are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
* The account or folder(s) are not set to synchronize
|
|
|
* The number of days to synchronize is set to low
|
|
|
* There is no usable internet connection
|
|
|
* The email server is temporarily not available
|
|
|
* Android stopped the synchronization service
|
|
|
|
|
|
So, check your account and folder settings and check if the accounts/folders are connected (see the legend menu for the meaning of the icons).
|
|
|
|
|
|
On some devices, where there are lots of applications competing for memory, Android may stop the synchronization service as a last resort.
|
|
|
Some Android versions,
|
|
|
in particular of Huawei (see [here](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bensin/2016/07/04/push-notifications-not-coming-through-to-your-huawei-phone-heres-how-to-fix-it/) for a fix)
|
|
|
or Xiaomi (see [here](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bensin/2016/11/17/how-to-fix-push-notifications-on-xiaomis-miui-8-for-real/) for a fix)
|
|
|
stop apps and services too aggressively.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq17"></a>
|
|
|
**~~(17) Why does manual synchronize not work?~~**
|
|
|
|
|
|
~~If the *Synchronize now* menu is dimmed, there is no connection to the account.~~
|
|
|
|
|
|
~~See the previous question for more information.~~
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq18"></a>
|
|
|
**(18) Why is the message preview not always shown?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
The preview of the message text cannot be shown if the message body has not been downloaded yet.
|
|
|
See also [this FAQ](#user-content-faq15).
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq19"></a>
|
|
|
**(19) Why are the pro features so expensive?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
The right question is "*why are there so many taxes and fees?*":
|
|
|
|
|
|
* VAT: 25% (depending on your country)
|
|
|
* Google fee: 30%
|
|
|
* Income tax: 50%
|
|
|
|
|
|
So, what is left for the developer is just a fraction of what you pay.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note that only some convenience and advanced features, like the dark/black theme, need to be purchased,
|
|
|
which means that FairEmail is basically free to use.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Also note that most free apps will appear not to be sustainable in the end, whereas FairEmail is properly maintained and supported,
|
|
|
and that free apps may have a catch, like sending privacy sensitive information to the internet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq20"></a>
|
|
|
**(20) Can I get a refund?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
If a purchased pro feature doesn't work as intended
|
|
|
and this isn't caused by a problem in the free features
|
|
|
and I cannot fix the problem in a timely manner, you can get a refund.
|
|
|
In all other cases there is no refund possible.
|
|
|
In no circumstances there is a refund possible for any problem related to the free features,
|
|
|
since there wasn't paid anything for them and because they can be evaluated without any limitation.
|
|
|
I take my responsibility as seller to deliver what has been promised
|
|
|
and I expect that you take responsibility for informing yourself of what you are buying.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq21"></a>
|
|
|
**(21) How do I enable the notification light?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Before Android 8 Oreo: there is an advanced option in the setup for this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Android 8 Oreo and later: see [here](https://developer.android.com/training/notify-user/channels) about how to configure notification channels.
|
|
|
You can use the button *Manage notifications* in the setup to directly go to the Android notification settings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq22"></a>
|
|
|
**(22) Why do I get 'Couldn't connect to host' ?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
The message *Couldn't connect to host ...* means that FairEmail was not able to connect to the email server.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Possible causes are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
* A firewall is blocking connections to the server
|
|
|
* The email server is refusing to accept the connection
|
|
|
* The host name or port number is invalid
|
|
|
* The are problems with the internet connection
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you are using a VPN, the VPN provider might block the connection because it is too aggressively trying to prevent spam.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq23"></a>
|
|
|
**(23) Why do I get 'Too many simultaneous connections' ?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
The message *Too many simultaneous connections* is sent by the email server
|
|
|
when there are too many folder connections for the same email account at the same time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Possible causes are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
* There are multiple email clients connected to the same account
|
|
|
* The same email client is connected multiple times to the same account
|
|
|
* The previous connection was terminated abruptly for example by abruptly losing internet connectivity, for example when turning on flight mode
|
|
|
|
|
|
If only FairEmail is connecting to the email server, first try to wait half an hour to see if the problem resolves itself,
|
|
|
else enable the folder settings '*Poll instead of synchronize*' for some folders.
|
|
|
The poll interval can be configured in the account settings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The maximum number of simultaneous folder connections for Gmail is 15,
|
|
|
so you can synchronize at most 15 folders simultaneously on *all* your devices at the same time.
|
|
|
See [here](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7126229) for details.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq24"></a>
|
|
|
**(24) What is browse messages on the server?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Browse messages on the server will fetch messages from the email server in real time
|
|
|
when you reach the end of the list of synchronized messages, even when the folder is set to not synchronize.
|
|
|
You can disable this feature under *Setup* > *Advanced options* > *Browse messages on the server*.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq25"></a>
|
|
|
**(25) Why can't I select/open/save an image, attachment or a file?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
If a menu item to select/open/save a file is disabled (dimmed) or not available,
|
|
|
the [storage access framework](https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/providers/document-provider),
|
|
|
a standard Android component, is probably not present,
|
|
|
for example because your custom ROM does not include it or because it was removed.
|
|
|
FairEmail does not request storage permissions, so this framework is required to select files and folders.
|
|
|
No app, except maybe file managers, targeting Android 4.4 KitKat or later should ask for storage permissions because it would allow access to *all* files.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq26"></a>
|
|
|
**(26) Can I help to translate FairEmail in my own language?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes, you can translate the texts of FairEmail in your own language [here](https://crowdin.com/project/open-source-email).
|
|
|
Registration is free.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq27"></a>
|
|
|
**(27) How can I differentiate external and embedded images?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
External image:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Embedded image:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Broken image:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note that downloading external images from a remote server can be used to record you did see a message, which you likely don't want if the message is spam or malicious.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq28"></a>
|
|
|
**(28) How can I manage status bar notifications?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the setup you'll find a button *Manage notifications* to directly navigate to the Android notifications settings for FairEmail.
|
|
|
|
|
|
On Android 8.0 Oreo and later you can manage the properties of the individual notification channels,
|
|
|
for example to set a specific notification sound or to show notifications on the lock screen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
FairEmail has the following notification channels:
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Service: used for the foreground service notification, see also [this FAQ](#user-content-faq2)
|
|
|
* Notifications: used for new message notifications
|
|
|
* Error: used for error notifications
|
|
|
|
|
|
See [here](https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/notifiers/notifications#ManageChannels) for details on notification channels.
|
|
|
In short: tap on the notification channel name to access the channel settings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
On Android before Android 8 Oreo you can set the notification sound in the advanced options.
|
|
|
|
|
|
See [this FAQ](#user-content-faq21) if your device has a notification light.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq29"></a>
|
|
|
**(29) How can I get new message notifications for other folders?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just long press a folder, select *Edit properties*,
|
|
|
and enable either *Show in unified inbox*
|
|
|
or *Notify new messages* (available on Android 7 Nougat and later only)
|
|
|
and tap *Save*.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq30"></a>
|
|
|
**(30) How can I use the provided quick settings?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are quick settings (settings tiles) available to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
* globally enable/disable synchronization
|
|
|
* show the number of new messages and marking them as seen (not read)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quick settings require Android 7.0 Nougat or later.
|
|
|
The usage of settings tiles is explained [here](https://support.google.com/android/answer/9083864).
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq31"></a>
|
|
|
**(31) How can I use the provided shortcuts?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are shortcuts available to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
* compose a message
|
|
|
* setup accounts, identities, etc
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shortcuts require Android 7.1 Nougat or later.
|
|
|
The usage of shortcuts is explained [here](https://support.google.com/android/answer/2781850).
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq32"></a>
|
|
|
**(32) How can I check if reading email is really safe?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can use the [Email Privacy Tester](https://www.emailprivacytester.com/) for this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq33"></a>
|
|
|
**(33) Why are edited sender addresses not working?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most providers accept validated addresses only when sending messages to prevent spam.
|
|
|
|
|
|
For example Google modifies the message headers like this:
|
|
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
From: Somebody <somebody@example.org>
|
|
|
X-Google-Original-From: Somebody <somebody+extra@example.org>
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
|
|
This means that the edited sender address was automatically replaced by a validated address before sending the message.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note that this is independent of receiving messages.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq34"></a>
|
|
|
**(34) How are identities matched?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Identities are matched on e-mail address in this order:
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. *To* header address
|
|
|
1. *To* header address without extra (see [this FAQ](#user-content-faq33))
|
|
|
1. *From* header address
|
|
|
1. *From* header address without extra
|
|
|
1. *Delivered-To* header address
|
|
|
|
|
|
Matched identities can be used to color code messages. The identity color takes precedence over the account color.
|
|
|
Setting colors is a pro feature.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq35"></a>
|
|
|
**(35) Why should I be careful with viewing images, attachments and the original message?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Viewing remotely stored images (see also [this FAQ](#user-content-faq27)) might not only tell the sender that you have seen the message,
|
|
|
but will also leak your IP address.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Opening attachments or viewing an original message might execute scripts,
|
|
|
that might not only cause privacy sensitive information to leak, but can also be a security risk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq36"></a>
|
|
|
**(36) How are settings files encrypted?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Short version: AES 256 bit
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long version:
|
|
|
|
|
|
* The 256 bit key is generated with *PBKDF2WithHmacSHA1* using a 128 bit secure random salt and 65536 iterations
|
|
|
* The cipher is *AES/CBC/PKCS5Padding*
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq37"></a>
|
|
|
**(37) How are passwords stored?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Providers require passwords in plain text, so the background service that takes care of synchronizing messages needs to send passwords in plain text.
|
|
|
Since encrypting passwords would require a secret and the background service needs to know this secret, this could only be done by storing that secret.
|
|
|
Storing a secret together with encrypted passwords would not add anything, so passwords are stored in plain text in a safe, inaccessible place.
|
|
|
Recent Android versions encrypt all data anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq38"></a>
|
|
|
**(38) Can you help me restore my Play store purchase?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
Google manages all purchases, so as developer I have no control over purchases.
|
|
|
So, the only thing I can do, is give some advice:
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Make sure you have an active, working internet connection
|
|
|
* Make sure the Google Play store / Play services are not blocked in any way, for example by a firewall
|
|
|
* Make sure you are logged in with the right Google account and that there is nothing wrong with your Google account
|
|
|
* Open the Play store application and wait at least a minute to give it time to synchronize with the Google servers
|
|
|
* Open FairEmail to check the purchase again
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note that:
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Purchases are stored in the Google cloud and cannot get lost
|
|
|
* There is no time limit on purchases, so they cannot expire
|
|
|
* Google does not expose details (name, e-mail, etc) about buyers to developers
|
|
|
* An application like FairEmail cannot select which Google account to use
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you cannot solve the problem with the purchase, you will have to contact Google about it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq39"></a>
|
|
|
**(39) How can I reduce the battery usage of FairEmail?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
First of all, update to [the latest version](https://github.com/M66B/open-source-email/releases/).
|
|
|
|
|
|
It is inevitable that synchronizing messages will use battery power because it requires network access and accessing the messages database.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reconnecting to an email server will use extra battery power, so an unstable internet connection will result in extra battery usage.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recent Android versions by default report *app usage* as a percentage in the Android battery settings screen.
|
|
|
Confusingly, *app usage* is not the same as *battery usage*.
|
|
|
The app usage will be very high because FairEmail is using a foreground service which is considered as constant app usage by Android.
|
|
|
However, this doesn't mean that FairEmail is constantly using battery power.
|
|
|
The real battery usage can be seen by using the three dot overflow menu *Show full device usage*.
|
|
|
As a rule of thumb the battery usage should be below or in any case not be much higher than *Mobile network standby*.
|
|
|
If this isn't the case, please let me know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most of the battery usage, not considering viewing messages, is due to synchronization (receiving and sending) of messages.
|
|
|
So, to reduce the battery usage, set the number of days to synchronize message for to a lower value,
|
|
|
especially if there are a lot of recent messages in a folder.
|
|
|
Long press a folder name in the folders list to access this setting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you have at least once a day internet connectivity, it is sufficient to synchronize messages just for one day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note that you can set the number of days to *keep* messages for to a higher number than to *synchronize* messages for.
|
|
|
You could for example initially synchronize messages for a large number of days and after this has been completed
|
|
|
reduce the number of days to synchronize messages for, but leave the number of days to keep messages for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Starred messages will always be synchronized,
|
|
|
which will allow you to keep older messages around while synchronizing messages for a limited number of days.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Disabling the folder option *Automatically download message texts and attachments*
|
|
|
will result in less network traffic and thus less battery usage.
|
|
|
You could disable this option for example for the sent folder and the archive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you got the message *This provider does not support push messages* while configuring an account,
|
|
|
consider switching to a modern provider which supports push messages (IMAP IDLE) to reduce battery usage.
|
|
|
|
|
|
If your device has an [AMOLED](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMOLED) screen,
|
|
|
you can save battery usage while viewing messages by switching to the black theme (this is a pro feature).
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq40"></a>
|
|
|
**(40) How can I reduce the network usage of FairEmail?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can reduce the network usage basically in the same way as reducing battery usage, see the previous question for suggestions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additionally, you can set FairEmail to download small messages and attachments on a metered (mobile, paid) connection only
|
|
|
or let FairEmail connect via unmetered connections only.
|
|
|
These advanced settings are accessible via *Setup* > *Advanced options*.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq41"></a>
|
|
|
**(41) How can I fix the error 'Handshake failed' ?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are several possible causes, so please read to the end of this answer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The error '*Handshake failed ... WRONG_VERSION_NUMBER*' might mean that you are trying to connect to an IMAP or SMTP server
|
|
|
without an encrypted connection, typically using port 143 (IMAP) and port 25 (SMTP).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most providers provide encrypted connections using different ports, typically port 993 (IMAP) and port 465/587 (SMTP).
|
|
|
|
|
|
If your provider doesn't support encrypted connections, you should ask to make this possible.
|
|
|
If this isn't an option, you could enable *Allow insecure connections* both in the advanced settings AND the account/identity settings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
See also [this FAQ](#user-content-faq4).
|
|
|
|
|
|
The error '*Handshake failed ... SSLV3_ALERT_ILLEGAL_PARAMETER*' is either caused by a bug in the SSL protocol implementation
|
|
|
or by a too short DH key on the email server and can unfortunately not be fixed by FairEmail.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="faq42"></a>
|
|
|
**(42) Can you add a new provider to the list of providers?**
|
|
|
|
|
|
If the provider is used by more than a few people, yes, with pleasure.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following information is needed:
|
|
|
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
<provider
|
|
|
name="Gmail"
|
|
|
link="https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7126229" // setup instructions
|
|
|
type="com.google"> // this is not needed
|
|
|
<imap
|
|
|
host="imap.gmail.com"
|
|
|
port="993"
|
|
|
starttls="false" />
|
|
|
<smtp
|
|
|
host="smtp.gmail.com"
|
|
|
port="465"
|
|
|
starttls="false" />
|
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
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|
Connections *without* [STARTTLS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunistic_TLS) are safer and therefore prefered.
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Please make sure receiving and sending messages works properly.
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See below about how to contact me.
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<br />
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<a name="faq43"></a>
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**(43) Can you show the original ... ?**
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Show original, shows the original message as the sender has sent it, including original margins, styling, etc.
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FairEmail does and will not alter this in any way.
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<br />
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<a name="faq44"></a>
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**(44) Can you show contact photos / identicons in the sent folder?**
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Contact photos and identicons are always shown for the sender because this is necessary for conversation threads.
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Getting contact photos for both the sender and receiver is not really an option because getting contact photo is an expensive operation.
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<br />
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<a name="faq45"></a>
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**(45) How can I fix 'This key is not available. To use it, you must import it as one of your own!' ?**
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You'll get the message *This key is not available. To use it, you must import it as one of your own!*
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when trying to decrypt a message with a public key. To fix this you'll need to import the private key.
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<br />
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<a name="faq46"></a>
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**(46) Why does the message list keep refreshing?**
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If you see a 'spinner' at the top of the message list, the folder is still being synchronized with the remote server.
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You can see the progress of the synchronization in the folder list. See the legend about what the icons and numbers mean.
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The speed of your device and internet connection and the number of days to synchronize messages for determine how long synchronization will take.
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Note that you shouldn't set the number of days to synchronize messages for to more than one day in most cases, see also [this FAQ](#user-content-faq39).
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<br />
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<a name="faq47"></a>
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**(47) How can I solve 'No primary account or no drafts folder' ?**
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You'll get the error message *No primary account or no drafts folder* when trying to compose a message
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while there is no account set to be the primary account or when there is no drafts folder selected for the primary account.
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This can happen for example when you start FairEmail to compose a message from another app.
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FairEmail needs to know where to store the draft,
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so you'll need to select one account to be the primary account and/or you'll need to select a drafts folder for the primary account.
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<br />
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<a name="faq48"></a>
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**~~(48) How can I solve 'No primary account or no archive folder' ?~~**
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~~You'll get the error message *No primary account or no archive folder* when searching for messages from another app.
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FairEmail needs to know where to search,
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so you'll need to select one account to be the primary account and/or you'll need to select a archive folder for the primary account.~~
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<br />
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<a name="faq49"></a>
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**(49) How can I fix 'FileNotFoundException ... (Permission denied)' ?**
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You likely selected an attachment or image with an outdated file manager assuming all apps still have storage permissions.
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For security and privacy reasons modern apps like FairEmail have no full access to all files anymore.
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This can result into the error message *FileNotFoundException ... (Permission denied)*
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when a file name instead of a file stream is presented to FairEmail.
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You can fix this by switching to an up-to-date file manager meant for recent Android versions.
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See also [question 25](#user-content-faq25).
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<br />
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<a name="faq50"></a>
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**(50) Can you add an option to synchronize all messages?**
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A synchronize all (download all) messages will not be added
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because it can easily result in out of memory errors and the available storage space filling up.
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It can also easily result in a lot of battery and data usage.
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Mobile devices are just not very suitable to download and store years of messages.
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You can better use the search on server function (see [question 13](#user-content-faq13)), which is faster and more efficient.
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Note that searching through a lot of messages stored locally would only delay searching and use extra battery power.
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<br />
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<a name="faq51"></a>
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**(51) How are folders sorted?**
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Folders are sorted with special, system folders on top, followed by folders set to synchronize.
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Within each category the folders are sorted on name.
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Some providers prefix some folders with INBOX, but these folders are in fact just user folders, so they are sorted below the special, system folders.
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It is not possible to make an exception for this because some other providers prefix all folders with INBOX.
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Note that you can give folders a display name by long pressing on a folder name, which can be useful because the display name will be used for sorting.
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<br />
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<a name="faq52"></a>
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**(52) Why does it take some time to reconnect to an account?**
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There is no reliable way to know if an account connection was terminated gracefully or forcefully.
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Trying to reconnect to an account while the account connection was terminated forcefully too often can result in problems
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like [too many simultaneous connections](#user-content-faq23) or even the account being blocked.
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To prevent such problems, FairEmail waits 90 seconds until trying to reconnect again.
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<br />
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<a name="faq53"></a>
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**(53) Can you stick the message action bar to the top/bottom?**
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The message action bar works on a message and the bottom action bar works on the conversation.
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Since there is often more than one message in a conversation, this is not possible.
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<br />
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<a name="faq54"></a>
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**(54) How do I use a namespace prefix?**
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A namespace prefix is used to automatically remove the prefix providers sometimes add to folder names.
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For example the Gmail spam folder is called:
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```
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[Gmail]/Spam
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```
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By setting the namespace prefix to *[Gmail]* FairEmail will automatically remove *[Gmail]/* from all folder names.
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<br />
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<a name="faq55"></a>
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**(55) How can I mark all messages as read / move or delete all messages?**
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You can use multiple select for this.
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Long press the first message, don't lift your finger and slide down to the last message.
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Then use the three dot action button to execute the desired action.
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<br />
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<a name="faq56"></a>
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**(56) Can you add support for JMAP?**
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There are almost no providers offering the [JMAP](https://jmap.io/) protocol,
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so it is not worth to add support for this to FairEmail.
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<br />
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<a name="faq57"></a>
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**(57) Can I use HTML in signatures?**
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Yes, you can use HTML in signatures if you paste HTML formatted text into the signature field.
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See [here](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/44410675/supported-html-tags-on-android-textview) for which HTML tags are supported.
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You can for example past this into the signature field:
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This is *italic*, this is *bold* and this is [a link](https://example.org).
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<br />
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## Support
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If you have another question, want to request a feature or report a bug, you can use [this forum](https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/source-email-t3824168).
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Registration is free.
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If you are a supporter of the project, you can get limited personal support by using [this form](https://contact.faircode.eu/?product=fairemail%2B).
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