We are excited to announce that the Runbox 7 Webmail beta test is now open to the public!
A large number of improvements and bug fixes have been made since our previous update, including an even faster Webmail, web push notifications on incoming email, and inline message previews.
There is now a Runbox 7 mobile app (Progressive Web App) available too, making Runbox a joy to use on your mobile phone!
We’d like to thank the hundreds of beta testers in our beta test community for all their contributions thus far, and helping us build the fastest webmail app on the planet!
What Runbox 7 Webmail is…
Runbox 7 isn’t merely an upgrade to our existing services, it’s a bold step into a new world of synchronized Webmail apps that provides unprecedented speed and usability.
Our new app is the cornerstone of Runbox 7, and is the first of several development stages that will culminate in a completely new user interface.
Runbox 7 Webmail features superior speed, incremental search, infinite listing, message previews, threaded views, a draft desk, as well as a mobile app version.
…and what it isn’t (just yet)
Note that we are initially focusing on the core Webmail service, and that the Runbox 7 Webmail therefore currently only includes this service.
Other areas such as Manager, Files, etc. will be added as we continue working on Runbox 7, so clicking on these menu items in Runbox 7 will currently take you back to Runbox 6.
Runbox 7 roadmap
We have an ambitious plan for the development of Runbox 7, with the following planned a
ctivities:
- Open beta test phase
- Open source Runbox 7 App
- Profiles and Contacts integration
- Files, Manager, and Settings
- End-to-end encryption
- Web calendar
- Message/task management
- Synchronous messaging
How to provide feedback
Our Runbox 7 team is working hard to make Runbox 7 the best webmail app on the planet, and your feedback will help decide what we develop next.
Tell us what you think about Runbox 7 Webmail in our dedicated forum at https://community.runbox.com/. Sign up to the forum using your Runbox email address so that there will be no issues gaining access to the forum.
Note that before you post requests or bug reports, it’s a good idea to review other posts to see if your issue has already been mentioned.
With that out of the way, please find the Runbox 7 Webmail app here:
We hope you’ll enjoy a modern, user-friendly, beautiful, and above all fast webmail experience!
Screenshots
Check out the screenshots below for a few highlights, and click on each one to bring up a hi-res version with more details.
Message list view
When you first log in to Runbox 7 Webmail you will find a beautiful interface with a design that is clean and efficient, yet packed with features. Its speed can’t be conveyed by a screenshot however, so try it out for yourself to get the real experience.
Two- or three-pane message preview
You can preview messages either in a horizontal pane beneath the message list, or to the right of the message list as shown below.
Draft Desk
The Draft Desk shows your current drafts in a convenient desk-like layout.
Ready for a test drive?
Just head to https://runbox.com/app and then join our community at community.runbox.com to take part in the Runbox revolution!
I want to carry on using Runbox 6 on my Ipad, but it won’t let me. I really don’t want this awful Runbox7. Have been with Runbox for years and years but now it looks as though I will have to go 😱
You can continue using Runbox 6 here: https://runbox.com/mail/
I live in the western USA and I have runbox as my primary provider of email. I have a never used google account as it is required for my cell phone to function, thou I disabled every google app i could.
I want a cell phone that protects privacy and works in the USA.
I feel safer with my email located outside of the usa.
Runbox 7 looks like it’s much easier to use
What about the Pages function? At present, if I am searching the pages in my email and I am at page 7, if I press the back button, it does not go to page 6, but it goes right back to the beginning again.
In Runbox 7 there is no pagination as the message list simply scrolls to the bottom — without delay.
I could not find a way to move folders. Drag and drop did not work. I rarely reorganize folders, but you know, sometimes it just has to be done.
Thanks for your message.
We already have this issue on our to-do list and will increase its priority: https://github.com/runbox/runbox7/issues/34
Why are you people taking forever with 7? If it wasn’t fit to be used within a certain time fame why did you even bother with the beta, this beta 7 is taking a long time to finish. just my feedback
You also shouldn’t be showing our full name in this comment section or at least tell people that beforehand. I f I knew my full name being posted I wouldn’t use it … VERY UNHAPPY!
Paul. I’ve removed your last name from this post for you. The comment box just asks for your name and uses what you enter. You don’t need to enter your full name, and I note that you didn’t with this particular comment. Thanks.
It’s quite normal for something to remain in beta for this sort of time period, especially when it isn’t just a new version but actually built from the ground up. We have a fully functional webmail already and the beta takes nothing from this.
We are making progress with Contacts, Profiles and Preferences and once those are done it will feel more complete. We also have the Calendar feature which is new in Runbox 7.
Late to the game, but congratulations on the next step. It was seriously high time that Runbox got a proper redesign, which is one of the reasons I am an ex-customer. I got bored of seeing the same colours, photos and marketing slogans over and over and over again and felt like the service became a set-and-forget from your side.
That’s my feedback for when Runbox 7 launches. I checked: since January 2015 you’re running with the vault photo, green energy, keeps running and “we’re Norwegian”-slogans. Literally the same texts and the same photos in the same slide in the same order. It’s the bare minimum to convince those who have privacy in mind, but it lacks a strategy to keep current customers enthusiastic. Where Google had plenty of redesigns (obviously because they have more resources), Runbox had nothing noticeable. E-mails is ought to be my home, my most personal and cosiest of places where I write friends, family and my wife. I don’t want that to feel old and sluggish.
I keep flirting with the idea of Runbox. I want to be a customer, just… I’m bored with it. Don’t play so incredibly safe or careful. You’re a rebellious burning alternative to privacy shredding mainstream services, not your grandma’s local library.
I can’t wait for Runbox 7. Good look with the development!
Runbox’ core values continue to be security, reliability, privacy, and environmentalism anchored in a strong sense of ethics, and we feel that our front page reflects these values well.
We believe that our existing customers appreciate the familiarity and continuity of our front page and our services in general, and aside from working to increase consistency across our various websites many improvements and upgrades have been taking place under the hood.
It’s on this foundation that we’re building the next-generation webmail app Runbox 7, which caters to both existing and new customers. Utilizing cutting edge technology such as Angular, WebAssembly, and HTML5 Canvas we are building the fastest webmail app on the planet, and we believe the innovation and potential represented by Runbox 7 will exceed your expectations.
In the near future this will be reflected on our main front page as well, but in the meantime you can enjoy this Runbox 7 front page: https://runbox.com/app
The front page is one element, but the interface of the e-mail also felt stagnant. It feels like a good design of Roundcube at best, and hasn’t changed since 2013 (when it was, in fact, modern). The front page hasn’t changed since January 2015. I’m all for “website refresh” just to give it a nice fresh look and have our mutual values reiterated. I’m hoping that from Runbox 7 on, the website and interface gets more dynamic and interactive between you and the customers.
I’m looking forward to Runbox 7. I’m sure that when it gets out of beta, I’ll get super excited again. 🙂
The Runbox 6 interface was upgraded in December 2014 and the front page in February 2017. We have also made significant upgrades to our sales pages and our blog in 2019.
We are currently focusing development efforts on Runbox 7, and we are already super excited about what it’s already offering and not least its potential 🙂
Yep, that’s my problem. I love Runbox technology but the design and looks hold it back big time. Just look at the design of Tuta, Mailfence, Criptext. That’s 2019 and modern. Runbox is tons better when you use it with your own e-mail client cause then you bypass the front page and Runbox 6. I use Mailbird which looks beautiful. We can pretend that looks and design don’t matter but they do. Privacy is also politics and a statement. Runbox could present themselves as charismatic as Obama. They have the technology and skills to back it up. They instead look more like Lewis Skolnick or a Rick Moranis character. Something like that. Runbox 7 looks amazing. You should try it. I hope Runbox meanwhile updates its website too. It’s high time.
Just a preferred suggestion in the color options (albeit trivial in terms of importance), but can we have a color choice of red, as it is a vibrant and exciting change?
Thank you.
We are planning to add support for theming, which would let you choose colors and possibly other design elements. We’ll keep you posted on any updates!
How do I make runbox 7 the default webmail?
We are currently working on a shared login screen that will automatically log you into the last-used version of Runbox (with a manual override option).
In the meantime the simplest way to go straight to Runbox 7 is to just use https://runbox.com/app, and bookmark this URL in your browser.
Geir, Runbox team: I guess I’m just a bland, boring engineer. I am more concerned with utility than window dressing. I would put web page updates and color schemes in the mail app in the window dressing category. I am glad it seems that Runbox keeps privacy, security, and reliability as job 1. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t say not to do window dressing. I am just saying I don’t have a problem with how you are doing things. I’m not particular – I was satisfied with runbox 6, but it’s nice you are developing runbox 7, and the time frame is fine with me. I would rather you not over-extend on interface development at the expense of the security and reliability, and I also would not prefer you to hire a bunch of new people to make things go faster and then have to increase your pricing. IMHO, you are striking the right balance, and your service is the best match for my needs.
Blessings and Peace,
Brian
I agree. I like RB core principles. In true engineering spirit, function should lead form. Personally, I like the photos and the special shade of blue, but then I don’t look at them often because I have the app on my computers and phone and so I go straight into them. I hope RB7 improves on the core values, if that is possible, and only goes fully live when fully ready.
Hi People,
The RB7 Mail View window is a good thing. It reflects a standard that is developing for mail viewers. I will replace TBird and Lightning with RB7 if you take development far enough. Don’t go slack.
Brian, Howard, Ed,
Thank you very much for your comments and encouragement.
Runbox 7 is indeed the vehicle that enables us to implement and expand on our core values and principles, and that will facilitate a reinvention and expansion of our communication services.
Functionality has always been a top priority for Runbox, alongside performance, security, privacy, and sustainability — but we also recognize the value of aesthetics and the importance of design for a well-organized and user-friendly interface.
We will continue on the path of steady and balanced growth, and have no intention of increasing our prices (quite the contrary, so stay tuned).
– Geir
As a new subscriber to Runbox, I was automatically set up with Runbox 7. Terrible experience! No menu/tool bar, not intuitive at all to use. Fortunately, I was able to revert to Runbox 6, which I like very much! I imagine people coming from a more traditional layout would not be happy to be confronted with something that looks so completely different and is difficult to figure out how to use. Suggest new users be provided with version 6 so the migration experience is not so daunting.
Thanks for your feedback. With Runbox 7 we are simplifying the webmail user interface in order to make email management faster and more efficient, and we are constantly making improvements.
We are considering making changes to the menus and navigation in the cases they are not entirely self-explanatory. For instance, there is no button to refresh/reload the message list as incoming messages should be displayed automatically as they arrive. Other menu items will appear only when needed, such as buttons to move or delete messages.
Again we appreciate your feedback as we work to improve Runbox 7 further and make it the most efficient webmail interface available.
I’m new to Runbox. Still trying to decide if I want to subscribe. But if there will be no Tags in Runbox 7, the next generation of the service I don’t think I’m interested.
Thanks for your feedback!
Tags is a planned feature in Runbox 7, and in the meantime the search functionality (with search index synchronization enabled) will give you immediate, filtered results as you type into the search field. This provides a very convenient method of locating messages across all your email folders.