Private Notes

What is a Private Note?

A private note is a secure, self-destructing message that you can share with anyone via a unique link. Once the recipient reads the note, it is permanently deleted from our servers. This makes private notes ideal for sharing sensitive information like passwords, API keys, credit card numbers, or any confidential text that you don't want lingering in email threads or chat logs.

Unlike regular messaging apps or email, private notes leave no trace after being read. The recipient gets one chance to view the content, and then it's gone forever—providing peace of mind when sharing sensitive data.

Why Use Utiliti's Private Notes?

Most "secure note" services encrypt your data on their servers, which means they technically have access to your information. Utiliti takes a fundamentally different approach: your note is encrypted in your browser before it ever leaves your device. We never see your plaintext data—not even for a millisecond.

Key Security Features

• Client-Side Encryption: Your note is encrypted using AES-GCM 256-bit encryption directly in your browser. The plaintext never touches our servers.
• Zero-Knowledge Architecture: The encryption key is stored in the URL fragment (after the #), which is never sent to our servers. We literally cannot decrypt your notes.
• Self-Destructing: Notes are automatically deleted after being read, or after your chosen expiration time—whichever comes first.
• No Account Required: Create and share notes instantly without signing up or providing any personal information.
• Open Source: Our entire codebase is open source on GitHub. Don't trust us? Audit the code yourself.

How to Use Private Notes

1. Write your note: Type or paste your sensitive information in the text box above.
2. Set expiration: Choose when the note should self-destruct—immediately after reading, or after a set time period.
3. Create & share: Click "Create" to generate a unique link. Share this link with your recipient through any channel (email, Slack, SMS, etc.).
4. Recipient views once: When the recipient opens the link, they'll see the decrypted note. After viewing (or after expiration), the note is permanently deleted.

Common Use Cases

• Sharing passwords: Send login credentials to a colleague without leaving them in your email history.
• API keys & tokens: Securely transmit sensitive development credentials to team members.
• Personal information: Share SSNs, credit card numbers, or other PII that shouldn't persist in chat logs.
• Confidential messages: Send any text that you want to disappear after being read.

Technical Implementation

We believe in transparency. Our encryption implementation uses the Web Crypto API with AES-GCM (256-bit keys). The encryption key is generated client-side and appended to the URL as a fragment identifier, ensuring it never reaches our servers. For a detailed technical breakdown, see our security documentation on GitHub.

Privacy-First Alternative to Privnote

If you're looking for a Privnote alternative that prioritizes your privacy, Utiliti's Private Notes offers true end-to-end encryption where only you and your recipient can ever read the message. Combined with our open-source codebase and zero-knowledge architecture, you can trust that your sensitive information stays private.