Privnote is a popular online service that allows users to share text, links, images, and files that expire after being read. It has gained popularity among privacy-conscious individuals as it doesn’t store any data and all notes are encrypted end-to-end we will walk through how to use Privnote for secure messaging without relying on AI-generated content.
Creating a new privnote
To get started, go to privnote.com and click on “New Note” in the top right corner open up a text box where or paste your message and attach files by dragging and dropping them into the box. When ready, click “Create Note” and your private will be generated. The next screen will show a URL that looks something like privnote.com/sQ4Y3Fg#9jIn3F4 for your new note. Copy this URL to share with the intended recipient. When they visit the link, it will display your message.
Setting an expiration
By default, privnotes expire after 7 days. But you can customize the expiration timeframe to be anywhere from 1 hour to 1 year. how does privnote work? To change when the note expires, click the drop-down next to “Expires” before creating the note. You can choose preset timeframes like 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, etc. Or enter a custom expiration in hours, days, or weeks. Setting a shorter expiration is better for more sensitive information. That way if the link gets leaked, the note will automatically vanish after a set period.
Password protecting notes
- For an extra layer of security, you can password-protect privnotes. After creating a note, click “Set Password” below the URL.
- Enter a password you want recipients to use for viewing the note. When you share the link, be sure to provide the password by a separate secure channel like an encrypted messaging app.
- Without the password, the privnote will not be visible. And if an unauthorized person attempts to guess the password, all content will be deleted after 10 failed attempts.
Self-destructing after reading
A key benefit of Privnote is that notes self-destruct after being read to prevent unauthorized access. By default, privnotes can only be viewed once and then automatically vanish. You can allow recipients to view a note multiple times before it’s deleted. When composing a note, use the “Views until deleted” drop-down to set 1 view, 5 views, or unlimited views. But for maximum security, 1 view is recommended.
Extra privacy settings
For additional privacy, Privnote provides options to disable forwarding and block printing. Toggle on “Disable forwarding” to prevent recipients from copying or screen shooting a note. And enable “Block printing” to stop notes from being printed.
These settings are on by default but can be disabled if you want recipients to have more freedom with notes.
Checking Read Status
Privnote has a delivery feature so you can see when a note has been read. After creating a note, click “Notify me” and enter your email address. You’ll then get an email confirmation when the recipient opens the privnote link for the first time. It allows you to verify that the message was received and read.