Self-destructing note: deleted after one read

What “self-destructing” means here

The message does not sit in a chat but behind a link. As soon as the recipient shows it, it is deleted on the server. If the link is never opened, the note disappears after the expiry you chose: 1 hour, 24 hours or 7 days.

How to send a self-destructing note

It takes a few seconds and needs no app and no account.

1. Open the one-time note and type your text (text only, up to 10,000 characters).
2. Choose the expiry after which the note is deleted even if unread. Optionally set a password.
3. Click “Create link” and copy the link. It contains the key, and we cannot recover it.
4. Send the link to the recipient. After clicking “Show note” they see the text once; then it is deleted.

When it makes sense

For credentials, a PIN, an address or a hint that should not stay in the history of a chat or mailbox. It also fits anything that only needs to be read once.

When it does not

The note does not stop the recipient from writing down, copying or photographing the text. Anyone with the full link can read the note, so send it only to the intended person. It is a poor fit for text you still need later, because it cannot be restored.

How it differs from disappearing messages in messengers

Messengers such as WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram offer disappearing messages inside their own chats, often with a timer. The one-time note does not depend on a channel: you can send the link any way you like, and the recipient needs no particular app or account. The note ends after the first read, not after a fixed time.

Read next

• One-time note: self-destructing message
• Share a password securely with a one-time note
• Privnote alternative from the EU