PrivateNote - Encrypted Note Sharing

About

Share secrets without leaving the page you're on

PrivateNote for Chrome lets you turn selected text—or anything you paste—into an end-to-end encrypted link in seconds. Encryption happens entirely in your browser. The decryption key stays in the link itself (the # fragment) and is never sent to PrivateNote servers.

Whether you're sharing a password with a colleague, sending an API key to a developer, or passing along confidential notes, PrivateNote helps you do it safely without opening another tab, copying into email, or pasting secrets into chat.

Built for how people actually work

Most secure sharing tools break your flow. You copy text, switch tabs, paste into a form, wait, copy a link, switch back. PrivateNote fits into the workflow you already have:

• Toolbar popup — click the extension icon, paste or type your secret, and get a link
• Right-click any selected text — choose "Create PrivateNote" and the selection is ready to share
• Keyboard shortcut (Alt+Shift+P on Windows/Linux, Option+Shift+P on Mac) — capture selected text and open the composer instantly

When your link is ready, it is copied to your clipboard automatically. From the success screen you can also share it with one tap using your system's native share sheet—Mail, Messages, Slack, and other apps on supported platforms.

Privacy by design

PrivateNote is built around a simple principle: your secrets should be encrypted before they leave your device.

• Local encryption — AES-256-GCM in your browser; plaintext never uploaded
• Key in the URL — recipients need the full link (including the # fragment) to decrypt; the server only stores ciphertext
• Optional password protection — add an extra password layer with Argon2id key derivation (same approach as privatenote.ai)
• Burn after reading — notes can self-destruct after the first view (default)
• Expiring links — choose 15 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, or 7 days
• No account required — create and share encrypted notes without signing up

You stay on the page you're working on. PrivateNote handles the encryption and gives you a link to share.

Who is it for?

• Individuals sharing passwords, recovery codes, or personal confidential notes
• Developers sending API keys, tokens, database credentials, or staging secrets
• IT and security teams exchanging credentials with colleagues or vendors
• Business users sharing HR documents, contract details, or customer information
• Anyone who has ever thought twice before pasting a secret into Slack or email

If you've copied a password into a chat message and immediately regretted it, this extension is for you.

How it works

1. Select text on any page—or open the popup and paste your secret
2. Choose how long the link should live and whether it burns after reading
3. Optionally add a password for an extra layer of protection
4. Click Share PrivateNote — encryption runs locally in milliseconds (password-protected notes use Argon2 and may take a second longer)
5. Your encrypted link is copied automatically — then copy again, share via the system share sheet, or open it in the browser

Recipients open the link on privatenote.ai, enter the password if you set one, and read the note in their browser. After the expiry time—or after the read limit—they lose access.

Why install PrivateNote instead of sending secrets directly?

• Email and chat logs are searchable, forwarded, and often retained indefinitely
• Screenshots and copy-paste errors leak secrets to the wrong thread or person
• "I'll delete the message later" rarely happens in practice
• Password managers are great for your own vault—not always for one-time sharing with someone else

PrivateNote gives you a middle ground: as fast as copy-paste, but with real encryption and automatic expiry. You share a link, not the secret itself.

Features at a glance

✓ End-to-end encrypted note sharing from any webpage
✓ Toolbar popup composer with title, content, expiry, and burn-after-reading
✓ Context menu: Create PrivateNote from selected text
✓ Keyboard shortcut to prefill selected text
✓ Automatic clipboard copy when your link is ready
✓ Centered success screen so you always see the link before closing the popup
✓ Share link button — native system share sheet on supported devices (Mail, Messages, Slack, and more)
✓ Copy link, open in browser, or create another note from the success screen
✓ Optional password protection (Argon2id + HKDF root key wrapping)
✓ Light, dark, and system theme for the extension UI
✓ Synced settings for defaults (expiry, theme, language)
✓ Works with privatenote.ai — the same trusted encrypted sharing platform

Minimal permissions, explained

PrivateNote asks only for what it needs:

• Storage — remember your preferences (default expiry, theme)
• Context menus — "Create PrivateNote" on highlighted text
• Active tab & scripting — read your text selection for the keyboard shortcut
• Clipboard — copy the generated link for you
• privatenote.ai — upload encrypted ciphertext and reserve note IDs

We do not read your browsing history, inject ads, or sell your data. The extension exists to encrypt and share—not to watch what you do online.

Part of the PrivateNote ecosystem

PrivateNote for Chrome connects to privatenote.ai, a privacy-first platform for secure, self-destructing note sharing. The same encryption model powers the web app, developer tools, and editor extensions—so links you create in Chrome open seamlessly for recipients on the web.

Trust and transparency

• Encryption happens on your device before anything is sent
• Open, honest permission model — every permission has a clear purpose
• Privacy policy: https://privatenote.ai/privacy
• Learn more: https://privatenote.ai

Get started in seconds

Install PrivateNote, click the icon or highlight some text, and share your first encrypted link. No signup, no configuration—just safer sharing built into Chrome.

Stop pasting secrets. Start sharing links.