How to secure your Proton Mail account
2 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
Use a unique password, enable two-factor authentication, store your recovery method safely and review active sessions and connected apps. Privacy-focused providers protect message content well, but account takeovers still come from weak or reused passwords and phishing.
Encryption is not the whole story
Encrypted email protects your messages in storage and transit, but it does not stop someone who knows your password from signing in. Phishing pages that imitate the login screen are a common route.
Hardening checklist
- ✓Set a long, unique password and keep it in a password manager.
- ✓Enable two-factor authentication and save recovery codes.
- ✓Set up a recovery method and keep it up to date.
- ✓Review active sessions and sign out of unknown devices.
- ✓Check forwarding rules, filters and aliases you did not create.
Check your email address for known leaks
Works with any provider. Enter your address, get a free exposure check, and see what to fix first.
Recovery needs planning
Some privacy-focused providers cannot reset your data without your recovery method, by design. Keep your recovery phrase or recovery file somewhere safe and offline so you are not locked out permanently.
Check the addresses linked to it
If you used your Proton address to sign up on other services, those services can still leak it. A breach check shows whether the address appears in known incidents.
Frequently asked questions
Can Proton Mail be hacked?+
The service is designed with strong protections, but individual accounts can be compromised through stolen or reused passwords and phishing.
Is my mail readable by others if I am breached elsewhere?+
Messages in your account are not exposed by breaches on other sites. Your address may be, though.
What if I lose my recovery method?+
You may lose access to encrypted data, which is why storing it safely matters.
Stop guessing. Check your email in seconds.
The free Leakill check looks for your email address in known breach records and tells you whether it was exposed. If it was, an optional detailed report lists the incidents, dates, sources, the kinds of data involved and practical next steps. It is a one-off report, not a subscription.
A breach match is a warning signal, not proof that someone has access to your account today. No public database covers every breach, so a clean result lowers risk without guaranteeing safety.