Features
What peep does
Almost everything works the same in both editions. The tags on each line show where a feature is available.
- Several mailboxes side by sideEach mailbox gets its own color and its own group in the sidebar: Inbox, Sent, Spam, Drafts, Trash, then your other folders.WebWindows
- Ready-made settingsType an address at Gmail, AOL, Verizon, Yahoo, iCloud or Outlook and the server settings fill themselves in. Any other server works too.WebWindows
- Test before saving"Test & save" logs in to both IMAP and SMTP before a mailbox is added, so typos show up right away.WebWindows
- Push mailEach mailbox stays connected with IMAP IDLE and is checked every 60 seconds as well, for servers that announce new mail late.WebWindows
- Unread counts everywhereBadges on every folder, the total in the window title, and a red count on the browser tab or the Windows taskbar button.WebWindows
- Turn mailboxes on and offAn inactive mailbox is hidden from the sidebar but keeps its settings and saved mail until you switch it back on.WebWindows
- Newsletters fit the paneFixed-width newsletters scale down to the reading pane instead of being cut off.WebWindows
- Plain text, done properlyLinks are clickable, quoted lines are muted, and long addresses wrap instead of running off the edge.WebWindows
- Remote images your wayLoad them always, or keep them off and click "Load images" on the messages you trust.WebWindows
- Safe linksOnly web links open, in your normal browser. Scripts, forms and frames never run. Anything else is refused with a notice.WebWindows
- Contact cardClick any sender or recipient to write to them, copy the address, add them to the address book, see all their messages or make a rule.WebWindows
- Select and copyDrag, double-click or Ctrl+A to select text. Copy keeps line breaks, paragraphs and table cells.WebWindows
- AttachmentsOpen with the default program or save. Program and script files are blocked from opening.WebWindows
- Pop-out windowsDouble-click a message or press Enter to read it in its own window, with reply, move, delete and flag.WebWindows
- Save as .emlKeep any message as a standard .eml file.WebWindows
- Address suggestionsAddress-book contacts first, then people you've written to. "jur" finds Jürgen. No-reply addresses sink to the bottom.WebWindows
- Reply, reply all, forwardThreads stay intact, your own addresses are left out of reply all, and forwards carry the original attachments.WebWindows
- Drafts that save themselvesAutosave a few seconds after you stop typing, Ctrl+S any time, and one draft per message instead of a pile of copies.WebWindows
- Signatures per mailboxPlaced under your text and above the quote. Switching the From address swaps the signature.WebWindows
- AttachmentsPick files or drag them in. Non-English file names show correctly in Outlook and Gmail.WebWindows
- Forgot the attachment?peep asks before sending when your text mentions an attachment but none is attached, or when the subject is empty.WebWindows
- Sent copies without duplicatesA copy goes in your Sent folder unless your provider already filed one.WebWindows
- RulesWhen From, To, Subject or Body contains some text: move to a folder, mark as read, flag. Checked top to bottom, first match wins.WebWindows
- Rules from a message"Make a rule for this sender" opens the existing rule if there is one, so you don't end up with duplicates.WebWindows
- Run rules on the inbox nowApply every rule to mail that's already there and see how many messages went where.WebWindows
- Server searchPress Enter in the search box to search the whole folder on the server. Every word must match; "quoted phrases" stay together.WebWindows
- FoldersCreate, nest, rename and delete folders. Rules that point at a renamed folder follow it.WebWindows
- Bulk actionsTick messages and mark read, flag, move, mark as spam or delete them together.WebWindows
- Mark all as readOn any folder, or on a whole mailbox's inbox at once.WebWindows
- Empty Trash and SpamPermanent, and always asks first.WebWindows
- ImportvCard (.vcf) and CSV exports from Gmail, Outlook, AOL, Yahoo and iCloud, including Outlook's Unicode CSV. Merged by email address.WebWindows
- ExportvCard 3.0, or CSV that opens cleanly in Excel and Outlook.WebWindows
- Never overwrites your editsImports only fill in missing details and add new addresses.WebWindows
- Shared when linkedA linked PC and the web app use one address book. The most recent edit wins.WebWindows
- PIN on every deviceEach device stays unlocked for 14 days after its last use. Five wrong PINs in a row lock out new logins.WebWindows
- Encrypted passwordsMailbox passwords are encrypted at rest: AES-256-GCM on the server, Windows DPAPI on the PC.WebWindows
- Mail stays on your mail serverspeep web keeps settings, encrypted passwords and sessions in SQLite. Your mail stays on IMAP.WebWindows
- Device listSee every signed-in browser and linked PC, and sign any of them out.WebWindows
- Verified connectionsTLS 1.3 where the server supports it, with full certificate and hostname checks against the Windows trust store.WebWindows
- Lock instantlyCtrl+L or the lock button. Open message and compose windows hide until the PIN is entered.WebWindows
- Four themesDark (red), Classic (navy and cyan), Grey and Light.WebWindows
- Reading pane on or off per folderWith the pane off, the list widens into columns so more mail fits on screen.WebWindows
- Keyboard shortcutsPress ? or F1 for the cheat sheet. Most keys match Gmail's.WebWindows
- Remembers your layoutPane widths and window positions stay where you left them.WebWindows
- Tray and notificationsClosing the window keeps peep running in the tray, with new-mail notifications when it's in the background.WebWindows
- Start with WindowsOptional, starting quietly in the tray.WebWindows
- PortableKeep a data folder next to peep.exe and everything lives there. Copy the folder to another PC and it comes with you.WebWindows
- Phone layoutThe web app adapts to a phone screen.WebWindows
- Link onceType your server's address and your web PIN once. The PC gets its own key and never stores the PIN.WebWindows
- Pick mailboxesChoose which server mailboxes this PC shows. A PC mailbox with the same address switches off automatically.WebWindows
- Works offlineServer mailboxes stay readable. Sends, moves, deletes, flags and drafts queue up and go out in order.WebWindows
- 90 days on the PCKeeps 30, 90, 180 or 365 days of mail locally. Older mail downloads when you open it.WebWindows
- Free up space"Delete local data" clears a mailbox's copy on the PC without touching the mail on any server.WebWindows
- Devices tabLinked PCs appear in Settings → Devices on the web, where you can unlink them.WebWindows
At a glance
Web or Windows?
| peep web | peep for Windows | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Your Linux web server (Apache, PHP 8.1+) | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit |
| Use it from | Any browser, including phones | That PC |
| Fetches mail while you're away | Yes | While it's running (tray), or from your server when linked |
| Works without internet | No | Yes, from its local copy |
| Where passwords live | Your server, encrypted | The PC (DPAPI), or nowhere for linked mailboxes |
| Install | Unpack, run a setup command, set a PIN | Unzip and run |
| What you install | A folder of PHP and JavaScript, plus a small background service | One 5 MB program |