Private individuals

Frequently asked questions

Get all the answers to all your questions around ePost

General

What is ePost?

The ePost app is a digital private letter box for your trouser pocket. It allows you to receive your paper post as digital mail directly in the app. You can also scan and store documents there and pay invoices as soon as you receive them. It’s safe, simple and speedy – anytime, anywhere!

What devices is ePost compatible with?

ePost is a mobile app for private customers. It works on iPhones with iOS version 14.5 and on smartphones with Android 8 or higher.

Some functions can also be used on the desktop, iPad or tablet via the web client. More will follow.

How does ePost differentiate between private individuals and business customers?

When it comes to their post, private individuals and business customers have different needs. That’s why there are two separate services. ePost for private individuals was designed as a mobile app for smartphones. ePost for SMEs is a pure web solution.

How much does the ePost app cost?

The digital inbox, document scanner and smart filing system are completely free of charge.

Who is behind ePost?

Swiss Post and KLARA Business AG, a software company based in Lucerne, Switzerland, which has been a Swiss Post company since October 2020.

From registration to login

Can I use existing logins for Swiss Post, KLARA or Swiss ID?

You can use the following logins for ePost:

- Your customer login for Swiss Post, including Swiss ID, if you already use it there

- Your KLARA login

Or you can create a new login of your choice.

Why has the SMS notification to verify my mobile number not arrived?

Please check that you have entered your mobile number and the Swiss country code (+41) correctly. Then try again.

Setting up my profile correctly

What must I consider when setting up my profile?

Please ensure all details are complete, correct and spelled correctly. If you also receive letters under a middle name, please enter this information as well. This makes it possible to make a match..

Can I change or correct my address at a later date?

Yes. You can amend your address and other profile details at a later date. Bear in mind though that for security reasons, these changes will deactivate the receipt of digital mail, particularly the ePost scanning service. You must re-verify your address details. A new authentication code will be sent to your physical address, which you must then enter and confirm. The service will only reactivate after this.

Why won’t ePost accept my address?

You need an active Swiss postal address where you physically receive mail. The following are not accepted: c/o address details, P.O. Boxes or addresses outside Switzerland

Why am I asked for my date of birth, AHV number or my tax ID?

Initially, these details are not obligatory fields in your profile. But they are required for certain senders, such as authorities or insurance companies, to communicate with you via ePost. Your private data is secure at all times and is not visible to third parties as it is encrypted, even for us.

The ePost inbox

What do I have to do to receive digital mail in ePost?

Nothing. The app is actually designed so that you receive digital mail from ePost senders.

I am still receiving paper post. Why does this not come digitally?

ePost is still in its infancy and the number of senders who send digital mail is (still) limited. If there is a company that already delivers in this way but you are not receiving ePost, please check that you have activated that sender in your profile. Or have you made changes to your address or profile? This pauses digital mail for security reasons until re-verification. However, you can easily do this yourself in your profile at any time.

From which senders can I receive digital mail in ePost?

Currently, you can receive digital mail in the ePost app from the following senders:

- Vaudoise

- La Mobilière

- Tax Office of the Canton of Lucerne

- Fédération des Entreprises Romandes

- Kanton Bern

If you’d like to receive most of your paper letters in digital form today, you can digitize them yourself with the ePost scanner or subscribe to the paid “ePost scanning service” at app.epost.ch Find out more about the scanning service.

What can I do with the letters in my inbox?

You can store the letters directly in ePost or delete the letter if you do not want to keep it.

If it is an invoice and you have an account with Credit Suisse, you can also assign it for payment directly in ePost.

Can I select who I would like to receive digital mail from?

No. Sender activation applies to all ePost senders. You cannot leave out individual senders but this feature is expected to follow soon.

Do I have to let a sender know that I want to receive their letters via ePost?

No. This is activated automatically when you set sender activation to “green” and confirm it.

How am I notified about new post?

You receive push notifications on your smartphone if you have enabled the feature. An e-mail notification will also follow. 

ePost document storage

How can I make a folder and sort my files?

Creating your own folders is very simple. Open your “filing system” in the start view. You can create your own folders under private folders. There are company folders in the company folder area that you can use for storage.

Can I store a document in several folders?

Yes. It’s possible! Please bear in mind that if you delete a document in your private folder, the document will also be deleted in the company folder.

Can I rename or delete my company folder?

No. The folder is provided by the company and cannot be changed or deleted.

Can documents be imported into ePost from other folders?

Yes, you can use the “Share” feature to send PDF documents to your ePost app. They then appear in your private folder, where you can store them in the desired folder..

How can I easily find a document stored in my filing system?

Open your filing system and enter a keyword in the search field. The system will show you all documents that match this.

I already use Dropbox or another digital filing system – why do I need ePost?

We believe it is easier to store your post directly where you receive it, without having to switch to another app. Receiving a letter and storing it takes just one or two clicks, as does receiving an invoice, paying it directly and storing it straight away. These are the benefits of ePost, where everything can be done simply and immediately in one flowing sequence.

The ePost document scanner

How do I operate the feature to scan documents myself?

Select “Scanner” on the app homepage. The camera opens and you can scan the document by clicking on the yellow circle. Optimize your picture with the help of the image editing functions then confirm it. Now you can move it to a folder or, if it is an invoice, pay it directly.

What can I do with scanned documents in ePost?

You can do everything that you can do with letters you received digitally: store them, assign payments, etc.

Does the payment function also work with scanned invoices?

Yes. Once they are in ePost, the system does not treat differently the invoices it received directly in digital format and those that have been scanned.

The ePost payment function

Which banks can I currently use to make payments in ePost?

Currently, you can make payments with an account at Credit Suisse, CSX, Hpothekarbank Lenzburg, Migrosbank, Postfinance, UBS, Valiant and Zürcher Kantonalbank. Further banks will follow.

How do I connect my bank account to make payments in ePost?

When you open an invoice in ePost, the option “payment” appears. When you click on it, you can then connect an existing or a new account. Opening a new account is also possible.

Is it also possible to store a credit card to make payments in ePost?

No. This isn’t possible yet.

I already pay invoices via my bank’s online banking portal. Why should I pay these via ePost?

We believe it is easier to pay invoices directly where they are received, without having to switch to online banking. You can also store them in the same place. The benefit of ePost is that everything can be done simply and immediately in one flowing sequence.

Scanning service for private individuals

Why do I need the scanning service and who is it most useful for?

It is useful if you’d prefer to receive most of your paper mail in digital form today (instead of in your physical letter box). However, not all mail is scanned so you must still check your letter box from time to time. For this reason we do not recommend the service for extended stays abroad.

What content is not scanned?

Addresses that cannot be read by machine (e.g. handwritten addresses, misaligned with the address window, etc.)

All letter content that is not on paper but consists of other materials, e.g. SIM cards, CDs, USB sticks, plastic cards, passes, badges, etc., cannot be scanned.

Letters with PIN codes, money, tickets, staff vouchers or cheques, or with a format larger than A3 or smaller than A6 are also not scanned. And parcels.

If it is not possible or permitted to scan mail content, it is forwarded physically to the recipient.

How can I activate the scanning service?

You can subscribe to the service in the Widget Store via app.epost.ch. You must log in there again with the same ePost login details.

Can the scan service be configured for multiple addresses?

Yes, you can add multiple addresses to your profile. They must be addresses in Switzerland. As with the first address, a verification code is sent to this address by physical mail. Only when entering this code in the profile, the address is also registered and can, if desired, as well be part of the subscription to the scanning service.

Can I exclude specific senders from the scanning service?

No. All letters that have your address are handled in the same way.

Is the scanning service a good solution for extended stays abroad?

While most of your mail is scanned with ePost, some items such as parcels or credit cards will still end up in your physical letter box. So if you’re not going to be there in person for a while, we recommend the Butler Solution from EDS. In this way, you can also receive your mail in ePost.

Can I also have my scanned post sent to me by e-mail?

No, only by ePost. However, the “Share” function allows you to export documents in an e-mail and forward them.

What will happen to my scanned paper post?

This will be kept in the scanning center for 25 days and then destroyed. During this time, you can request the scanned letter in physical form for free.

Are letters kept confidential?

Yes, letters remain confidential even with the scanning service. All Swiss Post security standards apply here. By accepting the relevant Terms and Conditions, you give the scanning center permission to open the letters for scanning.

Can I use ePost on my PC?

No. ePost is purely a mobile service and this also applies to the additional services like the scanning service.

How can I cancel the scanning service?

During the first free month you can cancel the service at any time and you will not be charged. After that, the service can be cancelled at the end of the following month.

It is cancelled via the Widget Store (app.epost.ch). You can deactivate the service there, which is the same as a cancellation. It is turned off within two to three days and, from this point, your mail will be delivered physically to your postal address (and no longer via ePost). The mail you have already received in ePost remains available there (for 25 days from receipt).

How much does the service cost and what is included?

The service is intended for private individuals. It costs CHF 9.90 per month and the first month is free. The following are included:

- The forwarding order that redirects letters to the scanning center

- Opening and scanning of letters

- The forwarding (including postage) of letters to your home address if they cannot be scanned

- The number of items per month is generally unlimited. However, the service is run in accordance with the “Fair Use Principle” (see Terms and Conditions).

If a person’s average volume of mail increasingly deviates from the usual average, KLARA reserves the right to contact the user, check this and take further steps as necessary.

Is ePost secure?

Where will my data be stored?

All data and documents from you or your customers undergo multi-level encryption and are stored in Switzerland.

How secure is ePost and the scanning service?

ePost is bound by Swiss Post’s IT and data security standards.

- Verifying your identity is a multi-stage process

- Two-stage authentication is required during login

- Your documents are encrypted in such a way that only you can see and read them

- Communication in the ePost system is also encrypted and incoming post is checked for viruses, which makes it more secure than communicating by e-mail. In other words, you can open and process letters without a second thought.

- Our system is tested regularly for weaknesses using a penetration test so that we can offer our customers a permanently secure system.

For former E-Post Office customers

When was the Swiss Post E-Post Office service discontinued?

The Swiss Post E-Post Office service and the “scanning service” subscription were discontinued at the end of July 2021.

Is ePost the same as E-Post Office?

No, ePost is a new service that has arisen from the partnership between Swiss Post and KLARA Business Ltd. The former E-Post Office was discontinued on 1 August.

Is the new ePost scanning service identical to the former E-Post Office scan service?

No, the ePost app is a new service for smartphones, which enables post to be received digitally, as well as the scanning and storage of documents in the app. You can subscribe to a fee-based scanning service but this does not cover all the services provided by the former “Subscription with scanning” service from Swiss Post.