Troubleshooting5 min

Privnote not working: causes and fixes

When a recipient reports that a Privnote is already destroyed, the note usually was read — just not by a human. These are the causes in order of frequency.

The Privnote link was burned by a preview bot

Messengers, mail gateways and security scanners fetch URLs to build previews. That fetch counts as the read and destroys the Privnote before your recipient clicks.

  • Send the Privnote link as plain text or inside a code block
  • Disable link previews in the chat client
  • Use a Privnote expiry window plus a password so a bot fetch cannot reveal anything

Blank page or a note that will not open

A Privnote page needs JavaScript, so strict content blockers and locked-down corporate browsers can leave it empty. A truncated link is the other classic cause: if the part after # is cut off, the decryption key is gone and the note can never be read.

Can a destroyed Privnote be recovered?

No. There is no Privnote recovery, no backup and no support override. Create a new note and, this time, confirm delivery with the read notification.

If a Privnote dies early, suspect an automated fetch and resend the link in a preview-free channel.

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