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Guide · Passwords & credentials

How to send a one-time secret link.

A one-time secret link gives someone one chance to read a password, API key, or private note without leaving it in chat or email history.

August 25, 20264 min read

The short answer

Paste the secret, turn on burn-after-read, set a short expiry, and share the generated link. The recipient reads it once; the encrypted paste is then deleted. Use textdrop.sh to make the link in your browser, then share the link instead of the sensitive text.

Do this. Not that.

  • Do
  • Use the shortest expiry that still gives the recipient time to open it
  • Add a password for high-risk secrets and share it separately
  • Treat a link that was unexpectedly consumed as a possible exposure and rotate the secret
  • Don't
  • Use a one-time link as a backup or permanent record
  • Assume it stops screenshots, copying, or malware on a recipient's device
  • Reuse a secret after you suspect the link was opened by someone else

Make a link now

Create a one-time link for your secret.

Burn-after-read is enabled. Your browser encrypts the text before it is stored, then the first successful read deletes it.

Why this matters

Messages and credentials often outlive the moment they were needed. They remain in inboxes, chat exports, backups, and search results, widening the consequences of a future account compromise.

A one-time secret link is for a narrow handoff: a sender encrypts the secret in the browser, the recipient opens it, and the stored ciphertext is removed after the first successful read. It reduces stored copies, but it cannot control a recipient who copies or screenshots what they see.

Common questions

What is a one-time secret link?+

It is a URL that gives a recipient one opportunity to retrieve a secret. With burn-after-read enabled, the encrypted paste is deleted after the first successful read.

Does a one-time secret link prevent screenshots?+

No. It removes the server-stored paste after retrieval, but it cannot stop a recipient from taking a screenshot, copying the text, or using an infected device.

What if the link is already gone?+

Treat an unexpectedly consumed link as a possible exposure. Do not resend the same secret; rotate or revoke it when possible, then create a new link.

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