Your thoughts deserve a private place.
Version: 1.3.1 Last updated: April 23, 2026
SafeNotes is a fully offline, on-device diary. We do not collect, transmit, store, or share any of your data. Ever.
INTERNET permission — the app physically cannot reach the internet, even if it wanted to.If you forget your PIN, we cannot help you recover your data — because we never had it. That’s the point.
.nbk backups — AES-256-GCM, key derived from your PINSafeNotes does not declare the INTERNET permission in its Android manifest. This means:
You can verify this yourself:
| What | How |
|---|---|
| Diary database | SQLCipher · AES-256 · key derived from your PIN via PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 (120,000 iterations) |
| Settings & PIN hash | AndroidX Security MasterKey · AES-256-GCM encrypted SharedPreferences |
Backups (.nbk) |
AES-256-GCM · per-backup random salt · PBKDF2 from your PIN |
| PDF exports | Standard 128-bit AES password-protected PDF · password = your current PIN |
| App entry | 7-digit PIN required at every cold start |
| Brute force | 5 wrong attempts → 10-minute cooldown · survives app kill / reinstall of process |
| Screenshot block | FLAG_SECURE ON by default · blocks screenshots, screen recording, and Recents thumbnail |
| Inter-app isolation | No exported components · no other app can invoke SafeNotes’ code |
Photos you attach are downscaled, re-saved as JPEG, and stored in the app’s private internal storage — inaccessible to other apps. Android’s file-system encryption applies; we don’t add a second layer at the file level.
You’re in full control of your backups.
.nbk file via Android’s system file picker — your device, an SD card, Google Drive, Dropbox, anywhere you controlIf you change your PIN later, old backups still need the old PIN to restore. The app handles this with a two-stage prompt so you always know which PIN to enter.
SafeNotes requests as few permissions as possible. As of version 1.3.1 the app declares one runtime permission, and it is opt-in.
POST_NOTIFICATIONS (optional, opt-in, Android 13+)We use the Android Photo Picker (system-provided dialog). It runs in a separate system process and only hands the app the specific photos you tap. We do not request READ_MEDIA_IMAGES or READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE.
PDF exports, .nbk backups, and downloaded photos use Android’s Storage Access Framework. The system picker appears, you choose the destination, and the app receives only the URI you picked. We do not request WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE or MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE.
Contacts · Location · Calendar · Microphone · Camera · Phone · SMS · Accounts · Device ID · Bluetooth · Internet · Background data · Auto-start
None. Not a single byte.
The “Name” you enter during onboarding (so the app can greet you with “Hi Sid 😊”) is stored only on your device and never leaves it.
Three independent paths, all 100% under your control:
DELETE to confirm. Erases every entry and every attached photo. Your PIN, name, theme, language, and reminder settings stay so you can keep using the app — pair with a .nbk backup if you want a restore point.We do not retain anything on our side. There is nothing to delete on our end — because we never had it.
SafeNotes is built on open-source libraries:
None of these libraries make network calls in SafeNotes — most physically cannot, because the app does not declare INTERNET. None collect telemetry from this app.
The app is distributed via the Google Play Store (Google). Google may collect installation/update data per Google’s privacy policy. That collection is independent of SafeNotes; we have no access to it.
SafeNotes is suitable for users aged 13 and over. We do not knowingly collect any information from anyone, regardless of age — because the app does not collect information at all. Parents and guardians may use Google Play and Android parental controls to manage installation.
If this policy changes, the updated version will:
For privacy questions, requests, or concerns:
We aim to respond within 7 days. Because we hold no data about you, traditional “data access” or “data deletion” requests don’t apply — there is nothing to retrieve or remove on our side. We’re happy to answer questions about how the app works and verify our on-device-only architecture.
SafeNotes is provided as-is, with no warranty. We’ve engineered the app for a specific threat model — opportunistic access to your phone, lost or stolen devices, snooping on the network — and we believe it addresses that model well. No software is invulnerable, however, and you remain responsible for safeguarding your PIN and your device.
If you forget your PIN, your data cannot be recovered — by you, by us, or by anyone. That’s the security guarantee. Please keep at least one .nbk backup somewhere safe if your diary matters to you.
SafeNotes exists because some thoughts shouldn’t live on someone else’s server. We built the app we wanted for ourselves: private by default, offline by design, yours forever.
Thank you for trusting SafeNotes with your story.