Test magic links and passwordless sign-in

A magic link works once. If anything opens it before you do, the test fails for reasons that have nothing to do with your app. Proxy Mail QA never touches your links: they open only when you click them.

Updated October 11, 2026

Why magic links are easy to break in testing

They’re single-use. Corporate email security, link previews and some mail apps open links to scan them. If that happens first, your click hits “link already used”.
Several requests, several links. Request two links and only the newest may work. In a shared inbox it’s hard to tell which is which.
Device and browser rules. Depending on your setup, the link may need to be opened in the same browser that requested it.
Redirects. After the sign-in completes, the user is redirected to your app. If that address is wrong, everything looks fine until the last step.

How Proxy Mail QA helps

Create an address and request a magic link from your app.
The row shows a Sign in button the moment the email arrives. Nothing has opened the link before you.
Click it: it opens in a new tab with no referrer, just like a careful user’s mail app.
If the link, or the page it redirects to after signing in, points at localhost or another local address, we flag it so you can tell a broken environment from a broken flow.

What to check in a magic-link email

The link signs you in once, and a second click explains that it has been used.
Requesting a new link makes the old one stop working, if that’s your policy.
The expiry is stated in the email and matches what the app enforces.
Opening the link on another device does what you expect, with a clear message if it can’t complete there.
After signing in, the user lands on the page they were trying to reach.

Try it on your next sign-up test

Free plan, no credit card. Create an address and watch the code or link arrive.

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Questions

Do you open or scan the links in my emails?

Never. Nothing on our side fetches, prefetches or follows a link. Links open only when you click them, in a new tab, without sending a referrer.

Why does my magic link say it has expired or been used?

Common causes are an email scanner or link previewer opening it first, clicking an older link after requesting a new one, or a short expiry. With Proxy Mail QA the first cause is ruled out, which narrows it down to your app.

The link signs me in on one browser but not another. Is that a bug?

Not necessarily. Some flows, such as PKCE-based sign-in, only complete in the browser that asked for the link. Test it on purpose and make sure the message on the other browser is helpful.

Can I see the raw link?

Yes. The inbox lists every link found in the email with its label, and the full message is shown in a locked-down frame.