Forwarding an email to yourself just to add a note — again? Wish you could add a few words to make sure you’ll find a particular email later, or a personal note that sticks to the email wherever it goes? Find out here how to add sticky notes — or memos — to any email in Fastmail ⤓.
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How to Add Sticky Notes (Memos) to Emails in Fastmail
Time needed: 2 minutes
To attach a sticky note to an email in Fastmail:
- Open the message in Fastmail.
- Click Add a private memo in the message header.
Here’s what it looks like: The button is a stylized notepad.
No “Add a private memo”: If you do not see the notepad icon, do check that conversation grouping is enabled in Fastmail.
Fastmail keyboard shortcut: You can also press O to add a note. - Type your note in the yellow sticky note area.
No need to save: The note is automatically saved to a (hidden) reply in a folder; see below for accessing that note via IMAP.
Their word: Fastmail include information on memos in Fastmail help.
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Remove a Sticky Note from a Fastmail Email
To delete a note from an email in Fastmail:
- Open the email with the sticky note.
- Click the Delete button in the note’s top right corner.
Emptying: You can also highlight and delete all the text from a note to effectively delete the note.
How to Add Sticky Notes (Memos) to Emails in Fastmail: FAQ
Can I add more than one note to an email?
No.
Every email can have one note attached in Fastmail..
Can I access notes for emails in Fastmail using IMAP?
Yes.
Notes appear directly attached to emails in the Fastmail web interface and the Fastmail apps.
If you access Fastmail using IMAP, notes appear in the Memos folder as replies to the original messages. Email programs that organize will show the note together with the original email
Can I add a note through Fastmail iMAP?
No.
You can reply to an email, of course, and move the reply to the Memos folder; the email will still appear as a reply, not as a note in the Fastmail web interface.
Can I add formatting to the note?
No.
Sticky notes in Fastmail are made up of text alone.
Can I search for the text in notes?
Yes.
Text in notes is found just the text inside messages.
(Tested with Fastmail in a desktop browser; first published August 2025, last updated March 2026)