Creating your first Privnote note
Open the Privnote site, type the message into the text area and press the create button. Privnote accepts plain text only — no images and no attachments — so paste codes, passwords and short instructions rather than documents.
The generated Privnote link appears once. Copy it immediately; refreshing the page does not bring it back, and the note stays waiting on the server until someone reads it or the expiry arrives.
Privnote options: password, expiry and read notification
Before creating the link, expand the Privnote options panel. A manual password adds a second factor that is not embedded in the URL, which is the single most valuable upgrade you can make.
- Password — required to decrypt, shared through a different channel
- Self-destruct timer — destroy the Privnote after a set period even if unread
- Email notification — get told the moment the Privnote is opened
- Reference name — label the notification so you know which note was read
Sharing and confirming your Privnote link
Send the link, then ask the recipient to confirm out of band that they saw the content. If the read notification fires before they open it, assume the Privnote was intercepted or pre-fetched and rotate the secret straight away.
For recurring handoffs, agree in advance which channel carries Privnote links and which carries passwords, so no one has to improvise under time pressure.