The core pattern
Every QA workflow using temp email follows the same structure:Pattern 1: OTP verification
Test that your app sends a 6-digit code and the form accepts it.Pattern 2: Magic link
Test that your app sends a valid, working magic link.Pattern 3: Welcome email content check
Verify that onboarding emails contain the right content.Pattern 4: Parallel signup tests
Multiple users signing up concurrently — each gets their own inbox.Pattern 5: Multi-step onboarding
Some flows send multiple emails in sequence. ChainwaitForMail calls and clear the inbox between steps.
Manual QA checklist
For QA engineers testing manually without automation:1
Open TempInbox
Go to tempinbox.dev and copy the generated address.
2
Use the address in the app under test
Paste into the signup/login form and submit.
3
Check the inbox
Return to TempInbox. The verification email should appear within seconds.
4
Verify email content
Check: correct subject, sender address, OTP code format, link validity, no broken HTML.
5
Complete the flow
Click the link or enter the code. Verify the app transitions to the correct state.
6
Document findings
Note any content issues, delivery delays, or missing emails in your QA report.
Common failure modes
Related reading
- Temp Mail for QA Teams: Signup Email Testing — team-level workflow guidance
- Email for Testing: A Practical QA Playbook — strategy for real inboxes vs mocks
- Playwright guide and Cypress guide — runnable implementations of these patterns