About First Email Ever Sent
The first email was sent in October 1971 by Ray Tomlinson, who also introduced the @ symbol to separate user from computer name — a convention still universal today.
Use the live elapsed counter at the top of this page to see exactly how many days, hours, minutes and seconds have passed since 29 October 1971.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days since the first email was sent?
The live counter on this page shows the exact number of days since the first email was sent on 29 October 1971, updating every second.
How many years since the first email was sent?
The live counter on this page shows the exact years and days since the first email was sent in 1971. The years figure updates in real time.
How many weeks since the first email was sent?
The live counter on this page shows the precise number of weeks elapsed since the first email was sent on 29 October 1971.
What day of the week was the first email?
The first email was on a Friday, 29 October 1971.
When is the next anniversary of the first email?
The anniversary of the first email falls each year on 29 October. The stats box above shows exactly how many days until the next one.