How Secure Notes protects your notes

On iPhone and iPad, Secure Notes keeps your notes on the device, where iOS Data Protection encrypts them with keys tied to your device passcode, and locks them inside the app behind your passcode, Face ID or Touch ID. The app does not add its own encryption to notes. On Android, the app itself encrypts the whole vault with AES-256. On both, PixelPort has no server that stores or reads your notes.

We publish this page because privacy apps are full of vague “military-grade encryption” claims. Below is exactly what each app does, what it does not do, and what data leaves your device. If you find something here that does not match the apps, tell us at [email protected].

Is Secure Notes for iPhone encrypted?

Your notes are encrypted by iOS, not by the app. The notes database uses Apple's Data Protection class Complete, so it is unreadable while your iPhone is locked and only becomes readable after you unlock the device with its passcode. Inside the app, a second lock (passcode, Face ID or Touch ID) keeps anyone holding your unlocked phone out of your notes.

• App, folder and note locks. Lock the whole app, a folder, or a single note. Locked notes stay hidden until you unlock them.
• Face ID and Touch ID.Handled by Apple's LocalAuthentication framework. Your face and fingerprint data stay in the Secure Enclave; the app only learns whether the check passed.
• Decoy PIN (Pro). A second passcode opens a separate, harmless notebook, for moments when someone makes you open the app.
• App switcher privacy (Pro). The app can cover its content when you switch apps, so previews do not show your notes. iOS does not allow any app to block screenshots; Secure Notes only warns after one is taken.
• 12 recovery words. Set up with your passcode. They let you get back into the app if you forget the passcode. They are not an encryption key; keep them private and offline.

What happens with iCloud sync?

iCloud sync is optional (Pro). When it is on, notes sync through your own private iCloud database (CloudKit private database) to your other iPhone and iPad. PixelPort cannot access that database. Synced notes get Apple's standard iCloud encryption, in transit and on Apple's servers, with keys Apple holds. Turning on Advanced Data Protection does not change that for the note text: Apple says ADP covers third-party app data only in CloudKit fields an app marks as encrypted, and Secure Notes does not yet encrypt the note text field. If Apple-held keys are a problem for you, leave sync off and use encrypted backups (version 3.8.1 and later) instead. See is iCloud safe for sensitive notes for the tradeoffs.

What is encrypted by the app itself?

The Pro Encrypted Backup (a .snbackup file, version 3.8.1 and later). It is encrypted with AES-256-GCM using a key derived on your device from the backup password you choose (Argon2id, then HKDF). Without that password nobody, including us, can open the file. Plain exports such as text or JSON are not encrypted, and earlier versions exported backups as plain JSON.

Is Secure Notes for Android encrypted?

Yes, by the app. Notes, titles, folders, tags and credentials live in an SQLCipher database encrypted with AES-256. A random master key encrypts the database, and that key is wrapped with a key derived from your PIN using Argon2id, so a copy of the files is useless without the PIN. Fingerprint unlock uses a second wrap held in the Android Keystore.

• Attachments. Photos and voice recordings are stored as encrypted files (Tink streaming AEAD).
• Screen protection. Screenshots, screen recording and the recents preview are blocked by default (Android FLAG_SECURE). You can turn it off.
• Decoy vault (Pro). A second PIN opens a separate encrypted vault.
• No sync. The Android vault never leaves the phone except inside a password-encrypted backup file that you create and store yourself. It does not sync with the iPhone app.
• 12 recovery words restore access if you forget your PIN.

What does Secure Notes protect against?

• Someone picking up your unlocked phone. The app lock, per-note locks and hidden app switcher previews keep notes out of sight.
• Being forced to open the app. The decoy PIN shows a harmless notebook instead of your real notes.
• A breach at PixelPort. We store no notes, so there is nothing to leak from our side.
• A lost or stolen phone that is locked.On iPhone, Data Protection keeps the notes database unreadable until the device passcode is entered. On Android, the vault is encrypted by the app on top of Android's own storage encryption.
• A leaked backup file. Encrypted backups cannot be opened without your backup password.

What does Secure Notes not protect against?

• Apple, or someone with your Apple Account (iPhone sync users). Apple holds the keys to synced note text and can be compelled to produce it, even with Advanced Data Protection on. Anyone who takes over your Apple Account could also reach synced notes. If that matters, keep sync off, and protect your Apple Account with a strong password and two-factor authentication.
• A forensic attacker with your unlocked iPhone or your device passcode. iOS notes are not encrypted by the app, so the app lock is an access control, not a cryptographic barrier, against someone who can extract data from an unlocked device. If that is your threat, use the Android app, or keep the most sensitive items in an encrypted backup (iPhone app 3.8.1 and later) or offline.
• Compelled unlock. If you unlock the real vault in front of someone, they can read it. The decoy PIN helps; it is not a guarantee.
• Malware, jailbroken or rooted devices, or MDM profiles you do not control. These can read what is on screen or in memory.
• Screenshots on iPhone. iOS does not let apps block them.
• Losing both your passcode and your recovery words. We cannot reset them for you.

What data leaves your device?

Never your note content, titles, attachments, passcodes or recovery words. We do use third-party services to run the business, and we would rather list them than hide behind a “no tracking” slogan:

• Product analytics: PostHog (iOS and Android) and Mixpanel (iOS), for app usage events such as screens viewed and features used.
• Crash reports: Firebase Crashlytics.
• Purchases: RevenueCat, to manage subscriptions and lifetime purchases.
• Ad measurement (iPhone only):Meta and Google SDKs measure which ads lead to installs only after you tap Allow on Apple's App Tracking Transparency prompt. If you tap Ask App Not to Track, that measurement does not run. The Android app does not use the advertising ID.

Details are in the privacy policy, the App Privacy section of the App Store listing and the Data safety section on Google Play.

Which permissions does the app ask for?

Only when you use the feature that needs them: Face ID or Touch ID (iPhone) or biometrics (Android) for unlock, the microphone for voice notes, speech recognition for on-device transcription, the camera or photo picker to attach photos, notifications for optional reminders, and on iPhone the App Tracking Transparency prompt described above. No location, no contacts.

How do I report a security issue?

Email [email protected]with the app, version, device and steps to reproduce. We acknowledge reports within a few business days, fix by severity, credit you publicly if you want, and will not take legal action against good-faith research that avoids accessing other people's data.

• How to lock notes on iPhone
• Is iCloud safe for sensitive notes?
• What is AES-256 encryption?
• How Face ID protects your data
• Zero-knowledge architecture, explained
• Privacy and encryption glossary
• About PixelPort LLC