Private, encrypted, expiring, and one-time pastes

AnonPaste separates who can find a paste, who can decrypt it, and how long it remains available. These are different controls.

Private or unlisted

A private paste stays out of public discovery and is shared by link. It is not automatically encrypted. Anyone who obtains an ordinary private link may be able to open it.

Use the private pastebin when you want to compare unlisted, password-protected, encrypted, and temporary options before sharing text or code.

Secret link

Secret-link mode encrypts supported content in the browser. The decryption key is placed after # in the complete URL. Browsers do not send that fragment with the page request, so AnonPaste does not receive the fragment key.

The recipient needs the complete link. If the fragment is removed or the key is lost, AnonPaste cannot recover it.

Password encryption

Password mode encrypts supported content in the browser with key material derived from the password. Send the link and password separately when possible. Use a strong, unique passphrase because password strength matters.

The web encryption format documents covered fields, visible operational data, key handling, compatibility, and test vectors.

Timed expiry

Timed expiry makes a stored paste unavailable after its configured deadline. Use it when a recipient may need multiple views during a known period.

Expiry limits future availability on AnonPaste. It cannot erase content that a recipient already copied, downloaded, cached, photographed, or forwarded.

Burn after view

Burn after view removes a paste after its first successful retrieval. Opening the link yourself may consume the available view, so send the generated link without testing it.

Use a one-time secret link to create a Secret-link paste with burn after view, or read the burn-after-reading guide for lifecycle and preview-bot details.

Choosing a mode

• Use private/unlisted for non-sensitive content that should stay out of discovery.
• Use a Secret link when the complete URL can carry the decryption key.
• Use password encryption when you can deliver the password separately.
• Use timed expiry when the paste should remain available for a known period.
• Use burn after view when one successful retrieval is enough.

No sharing mode can prevent a recipient from copying or capturing content after they can view it.