Privacy and security are important in today’s digital world. We rely so heavily on online communication for both personal and professional reasons. However, the content we share online is accessed and stored indefinitely, even if we don’t intend for it to be. This is where online privacy tools like Privnote come in handy. Privnote is a free online service for users to share text, links, notes, and files that expire after being read. You set a custom expiration timer so your recipient only accesses the content for a limited time that you specify.
The main goal of Privnote is to give users more control over their privacy online. Any content you share via Privnote be forwarded, copied, printed, or stored without your permission. The recipient only views the message for the period you specify before it is deleted from Privnote’s servers. Privnote is ideal for sharing confidential information or private conversations you don’t want to be accessible indefinitely. The custom timer gives you control to limit how long your recipient views the content.
Create a privnote with a custom timer
Creating an expiring Privnote message with a custom timer is quick and easy to do. Here are the simple steps:
- Go to Privnote.com
The homepage has a text box where you type or paste your message. There are also options to attach links, notes, photos, and files.
- Set your expiration timer
Under the message box, you’ll see a drop-down menu to select your desired expiration time. The options range from 1 minute up to 1 week. Choose the timeframe you want your Privnote to exist before being deleted.
- Click “Create Privnote”
Once your private text is typed and the timer set, click the “Create Privnote” button. This generates a unique URL for your note.
- Copy the URL
Highlight and copy the URL link that Privnote generates. This is the link you’ll share with your intended recipient to view the expiring note.
- Share the URL however you want
The URL is shared via email, messaging apps, social media, or any other digital method. When ready, simply paste the URL to share the Privnote with your chosen recipient.
- Recipient views note during timer window
Once the recipient clicks the Privnote URL, they will be able to view the message for the exact period you specified. A countdown shows how long until note expiration.
- Note erases after the timer expires
When the custom timer runs out, the Privnote will automatically erase itself from Privnote’s servers. The URL link wills no longer work once the deletion occurs.
Extra privacy tips for privates
To get the most privacy benefits from Privnote, here are some additional tips:
- Password-protect notes whenever possible for an extra security layer. Recipients will need to enter the password you specify to view the note.
- Avoid copying Privnote content into emails or other apps. This defeats the purpose of the self-destructing feature.
- Use general subject lines that don’t reveal the contents of the note. Example: “New Privnote message”
- Turn on email notifications to know when your note is read and deleted.
- If sharing highly sensitive content, choose shorter expiration times.
- Periodically delete your Privnote history for better anonymity.
- Use Privnote in combination with a VPN for anonymous web browsing.
