How to Send an Encrypted One-Time Note Safely

A one-time private note lets you write a short message, create an encrypted link and give its recipient one opportunity to reveal the content. It can be useful when a message should not remain available indefinitely in a chat or email history. The recipient needs only a modern browser; there is no account to create.

Use the Open Private Note button on this page to follow these steps.

How to send a one-time private note

1. Write the message. Enter only the information you need to share in the Secret note field. Sikelia Tools supports up to 8,192 bytes per note; character count and byte count are not always identical.
2. Choose an expiry. Select how long an unread note can remain available. The service supports lifetimes from 60 seconds to 7 days. After expiry, the recipient can no longer retrieve it.
3. Decide whether to add a password. Password protection is optional. If enabled, send the password through a separate trusted channel; the service cannot recover it.
4. Create and share the link. Select Encrypt & create link, then send the complete generated URL privately to the intended recipient. Do not publish the link or treat it as harmless: anyone who obtains it may attempt the one permitted read.

By default, the recipient can review a confirmation screen before choosing Reveal private note. The advanced Open and destroy immediately option changes that behavior: visiting the link will consume the note without a separate confirmation. Leave it off unless the recipient expects that behavior.

What happens when the recipient opens the link?

The browser prepares the link and, when the recipient confirms Reveal (or immediately if the sender chose the advanced option), retrieves the encrypted content. A successful one-time consume removes the stored encrypted payload. Opening the same note again does not recover it. An unread note is also removed after its selected expiry.

For that reason, ask the recipient to open it when they are ready. Do not use one-time notes as the only copy of information you must retain, because neither you nor the service can restore a consumed or expired note.

Where does the encryption key live?

Sikelia Tools encrypts the note in the browser using a fresh per-note 256-bit key. The service receives encrypted bytes and limited delivery metadata, not the original message. The decryption key stays in the URL fragment (the part after #), which standard HTTP requests do not send to the server.

That design protects the note’s plaintext from the service, but it does not make the link public or risk-free. The complete link carries what is needed to attempt decryption; keep it confidential. The optional password adds a separate check and is not stored by the service. Network infrastructure may still process limited connection metadata, as described in the Privacy Policy.

When is this better than a normal message?

A one-time link makes sense when you want a recipient to read a short private message once, rather than leave another copy of the message in the conversation where you send it. You can share the link using the communication channel you already use; the service itself does not need access to your contacts.

However, one-time delivery is not a guarantee that the recipient cannot keep a copy. The reader may photograph, copy or forward the revealed content. A link may also be intercepted or forwarded before its intended recipient opens it. For highly sensitive or regulated information, use an appropriate, verified communication process instead.

Common questions

Can I read my own note again?

Not after it has been successfully consumed. There is no recovery for an expired or consumed note. Keep any record you legitimately need separately, outside this temporary sharing workflow.

Does a reference name appear in the shared link?

No. The optional reference name stays in the sender’s browser tab and is not included in the note, link or server request.

Does the recipient need to install anything?

No. The recipient uses the share link in a modern browser. They may need the separately shared password if you enabled password protection.

Can I send the same link to several people?

A Private Note is designed for one successful retrieval, not group delivery. If multiple people try to open the link, only one successful consume is possible.

Ready to try it? Use the Open Private Note button provided with this guide. Keep the link private and confirm the expiry before sending it.