If you lost a package in Guild Wars 2, it is almost always recoverable through the in-game mail system or by contacting support, but the exact steps depend on why it disappeared. This guide covers the most common causes—expired mail, full inventories, and delivery failures—and the precise way to get your items back.
How Mail and Package Delivery Works in GW2
Guild Wars 2 uses an in-game mail system for sending items, gold, and messages between players and from the game itself. When someone sends you a package, it arrives in your mail inbox, which you access by pressing H (default keybind) and selecting the Mail tab. Mail is delivered instantly to your character on the same world, and you can have up to 10 mail messages in your inbox at once. If your inbox is full, new mail is held by the system for a short period, but the sender receives a notification that delivery failed.
Each mail message can contain up to 5 items and 500 gold. Items attached to mail are not visible in your inventory until you click the paperclip icon on the message and select “Take All.” A common mistake is assuming the items were added automatically—they are not. You must manually collect them.
Why Packages Disappear: The 30-Day Rule
The single most common reason a package is “lost” is that the mail expired. GW2 deletes unread mail after 30 days from delivery. Once deleted, the items are gone permanently—support cannot restore them. This applies to player-to-player mail, trading post purchases, and even some system mail. If you log in after a long break, check your inbox immediately; old mail may be on its final days.
There is one exception: mail from the Black Lion Trading Company (gem store purchases) and certain account-wide unlocks often have no expiry, but this is not guaranteed. Always assume a 30-day window for any mail with an attachment.
Immediate Steps to Recover a Lost Package
If you just noticed a package is missing, follow these steps in order:
- Check the Mail tab again—sometimes the message is still there but you missed the attachment icon.
- Look in your inventory for a “Mail Delivery” box or a stack of items you did not notice. Some items, like crafting materials, go straight to your material storage if you have the “Deposit All” habit, but they do not automatically deposit from mail.
- Check the Trading Post pick-up tab—if you bought something and the seller was offline, the item may be waiting in the “Pick Up” section of the Trading Post, not in mail.
- Ask the sender if they received a “Delivery Failed” message. If they did, your inbox was full at that moment, and the package was returned to them.
If none of these work, the package is likely gone due to expiry. However, if you believe it disappeared within the last few hours and you have not logged out, a quick client restart sometimes refreshes the mail server connection.
Contacting Support for a Truly Lost Package
ArenaNet support can restore items lost to bugs or server errors, but they cannot restore expired mail. To submit a request, go to the official Guild Wars 2 support website, log in, and open a ticket under “Missing Items.” You will need to provide:
- Your account name and character name
- The approximate date and time the package was sent or expected
- The sender’s name (if known)
- A description of the items
Support typically responds within a few days. They can check server logs to see if the mail was delivered and when it expired. If it was a genuine bug—for example, the mail vanished while you were in a loading screen—they will often return the items to your inventory. If it was simply old mail, they will politely decline because the 30-day policy is strict and clearly stated in the game’s terms.
Preventing Future Lost Packages
You can avoid most lost-package situations with a few habits:
- Clear your inbox regularly. Do not let mail sit for weeks.
- Keep your inventory and material storage with space. If your inventory is full, “Take All” will fail for some items, leaving them in the mail—but the mail still expires.
- Use the “Collect All” button on the Trading Post immediately after buying.
- If you are sending a valuable item to another character, send it to yourself via the same account. Cross-character mail is instant and safe, but it still expires in 30 days.
A common misconception is that mail from the gem store or from achievements is safe from expiry. This is not true for most system mail. Only account-wide unlocks (like a new mount skin) are applied instantly and do not rely on mail. Anything with an attachment, even from the game itself, can expire.
Template: Lost Package Support Request
Use this template when contacting support. Fill in the blanks with your details.
| Field | Your Information |
|---|---|
| Account Name | _________________________ |
| Character Name | _________________________ |
| Date Package Expected | _________________________ |
| Sender Name (if known) | _________________________ |
| Item Description | _________________________ |
| What You Already Tried | _________________________ |
Sample (fictional): Account Name: “RytlockFan42”, Character: “AsuraEngineer”, Date: March 3, 2025, Sender: “GuildBankAlt”, Item: “10 Piles of Bloodstone Dust”, Tried: “Checked mail, inventory, and Trading Post.”
Comparing Mail vs. Trading Post vs. Guild Bank
Many players confuse the three ways to move items. Mail is person-to-person and expires. The Trading Post is an auction house; purchases arrive in a dedicated “Pick Up” tab that does not expire, but you must collect them manually. Guild Bank deposits are instant and permanent until withdrawn, but only guild members with permission can access them. If you cannot find a package, verify which system you used. For example, if you bought a weapon from the Trading Post, it will never appear in your mail—it sits in the Trading Post UI until you click “Pick Up.” This is the most common source of “lost” purchases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can support restore mail that expired 31 days ago? No. The 30-day expiry is absolute, and support will not make exceptions. The only hope is if the mail was never delivered due to a server error, which is rare and must be reported within a few days.
What happens if my inbox is full when someone sends me a package? The sender gets a “Delivery Failed” message, and the items are returned to their inventory. You do not lose the package; it goes back to them. Ask them to resend after you delete old mail.
Does mail expire differently for guild members or friends? No. All mail, regardless of sender, has the same 30-day expiry. There is no priority or extended timer for guild or friend mail.
Can I recover a package if I deleted the mail by accident? If you click “Delete” on a mail message with attachments, the items are destroyed immediately. Support cannot restore them because the deletion is user-initiated. Always “Take All” before deleting.
Is there a way to extend mail expiry? No. There is no item, upgrade, or service that extends the 30-day timer. The only workaround is to log in frequently and collect attachments.
If I send a package to a character I delete, is the mail lost? Yes. If the recipient character is deleted, the mail is returned to the sender after a short delay. If you deleted the character, check your other characters’ mail for the returned package.