Your notes are encrypted in your browser
Encryption is not a premium add-on. It is the foundation FortyNote is built on — for every user, every plan, every note.
Start for freeHow the encryption works
Six properties that make FortyNote's privacy model different from every other note app.
Encrypted in your browser
Your notes are encrypted on your device before they ever leave it. Our servers store only ciphertext — we store encrypted bytes, not readable notes.
AES-256 encryption
Industry-standard AES-256-GCM encryption protects every note, notebook, attachment, and tag. The same standard used by banks and governments.
Always on
Encryption is not a setting you toggle. It is on by default, for every account, on every plan — including free. There is no unencrypted mode.
Encrypted at rest and in transit
Data is encrypted before upload (at rest) and protected by TLS 1.3 during transfer (in transit). Two layers, no gaps.
Device-local key derivation
Your encryption key is derived from your password on your device using PBKDF2. It never travels to our servers — not even during login.
Open to audit
Our encryption implementation is open source and available for independent security review. Trust through transparency, not promises.
The journey of a note
You type a note
Plaintext lives only in your browser or app memory
Encrypted on your device
AES-256-GCM with your local key before any network call
Ciphertext travels over TLS 1.3
Even the transport layer is encrypted
Stored as ciphertext on our servers
We store encrypted bytes — not readable notes
Decrypted on your device
Only when you open the note, only with your key
Common questions
What happens if I forget my password?
Forgot your password? We'll email you a link to set a new one.
Can FortyNote employees read my notes?
Our servers only ever receive encrypted ciphertext. We store encrypted bytes, not readable notes.
Does encryption affect search?
Search runs locally on your device, against your decrypted data. Results are never sent to our servers. You get full-text search without sacrificing privacy.
Are attachments and files also encrypted?
Yes. Every file you attach — PDFs, images, audio recordings, sketches — is encrypted with the same AES-256 key as your notes.
What about shared notebooks?
Shared notebooks use per-notebook keys distributed securely to each collaborator. Only people you explicitly invite can decrypt the shared content.
Your notes. Your privacy.
Join thousands of people who chose FortyNote because privacy isn't optional.
Get FortyNote free