Using ScholarNote
Do I need an account?
No. Write a note, optionally add a public profile, choose any advanced options you need, and create the link.
How should I send the link?
Copy the complete link, including everything after the #, and send it through a channel you trust. Anyone holding the complete link can reveal the note.
Can several people use one link?
They can, but one link has one shared reading deadline. The first successful reveal starts that deadline for everyone, so separate links are safer when recipients should have independent access.
Encryption and privacy
Can ScholarNote read my note?
The browser encrypts the note with a new AES-GCM key before upload. The service stores ciphertext, an IV, lifecycle timestamps, and an optional public profile URL—not the key stored after the link’s #.
Why does the key stay after the #?
That part of a URL is a browser fragment. Browsers normally keep it out of web requests, allowing the recipient’s browser to use the key locally for decryption.
Does opening the link reveal the note?
No. The recipient first sees a confirmation screen. Only the Reveal button requests the encrypted payload and starts the fixed reading deadline.
Expiration and recovery
When is a note deleted?
The sender can choose one, three, or seven days for an unread note and one, five, ten, or thirty minutes after reveal. Request-time checks stop expired notes immediately, while scheduled cleanup removes expired database rows.
Can refreshing extend the timer?
No. The first reveal fixes one server-side deadline. Later visits receive the same deadline.
Can a lost or expired note be recovered?
No. ScholarNote does not retain the decryption key, and an expired server record is unavailable. Keep a separate copy of anything you cannot afford to lose.
Recipient control
Can screenshots or copying be blocked?
No ordinary website can reliably stop operating-system screenshots, screen recording, browser tools, or a second camera. ScholarNote states this clearly instead of promising protection a browser cannot enforce.
What does the public profile prove?
It gives the recipient a sender-supplied page to inspect. ScholarNote does not fetch, verify, or endorse that profile.
Why is reveal confirmation mandatory?
It prevents link previews, security scanners, and accidental opening from silently consuming part of the reading window.
Advertising
Where can advertising appear?
Public informational and note-creation pages may include advertising. Recipient landing pages and revealed notes remain free of advertising, analytics, and external scripts.
Why do I see an ad-blocker message?
Advertising helps cover ScholarNote's hosting, maintenance, and security. The notice asks visitors to allow ads on eligible public pages; it does not weaken note encryption.