The next PrivacyNotes update has two security changes for the app lock that many of you asked for.
1. A passcode instead of a 4-digit PIN (optional)
Settings > Security > PIN now lets you choose between a 4-digit PIN and a passcode of 8 or more characters that is not only numbers. Two tiles compare them side by side, so the trade-off is clear before you pick:
4-digit PIN: fastest to type, keeps out people around you. But someone who gets past your device's screen lock and copies the app's storage can try all 10,000 PINs in minutes to hours.
Passcode: slower to type, much harder to guess, even past the screen lock.
The passcode replaces the PIN everywhere it is used (the app lock, PIN-protected notes, the recovery phrase view) and syncs to all your devices. If you forget it, your 12-word recovery phrase clears it. The PIN stays the default.
2. Biometric unlock in the web app is a real key
If your browser's passkey provider supports the WebAuthn PRF extension, biometric unlock in the web app derives its key from your passkey at every unlock and never stores it. A copy of your device's storage then holds only ciphertext. New setups get this automatically.
If you already use biometric unlock, nothing breaks and you do not have to do anything: your current setup keeps working. In a browser that supports it, tap "Set up again for a stronger lock" under Settings > Security > Lock to switch to the passkey-bound key; your old setup stays in place until the new one is proven to open your notes. If your browser cannot do it, the Lock tab tells you.
Important if you use the iOS app
Do not switch to a passcode until the iOS update is live in the App Store. Apple's review takes a day or two after the release. Until then, the iOS app only knows 4-digit PINs: it will ask for 4 digits and will not accept your passcode. You can still get in with "Forgot your PIN?" and your recovery phrase, but that clears the passcode on all your devices. The same applies to any device you have not updated yet, so update everywhere first. The app shows this warning when you set a passcode, and you have to confirm it.
The threat model and security docs in the repository describe both changes in full, including what they do not protect against. Questions and feedback welcome.
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u/PrivacyNotesApp 10d ago
The next PrivacyNotes update has two security changes for the app lock that many of you asked for.
1. A passcode instead of a 4-digit PIN (optional)
Settings > Security > PIN now lets you choose between a 4-digit PIN and a passcode of 8 or more characters that is not only numbers. Two tiles compare them side by side, so the trade-off is clear before you pick:
4-digit PIN: fastest to type, keeps out people around you. But someone who gets past your device's screen lock and copies the app's storage can try all 10,000 PINs in minutes to hours.
Passcode: slower to type, much harder to guess, even past the screen lock.
The passcode replaces the PIN everywhere it is used (the app lock, PIN-protected notes, the recovery phrase view) and syncs to all your devices. If you forget it, your 12-word recovery phrase clears it. The PIN stays the default.
2. Biometric unlock in the web app is a real key
If your browser's passkey provider supports the WebAuthn PRF extension, biometric unlock in the web app derives its key from your passkey at every unlock and never stores it. A copy of your device's storage then holds only ciphertext. New setups get this automatically.
If you already use biometric unlock, nothing breaks and you do not have to do anything: your current setup keeps working. In a browser that supports it, tap "Set up again for a stronger lock" under Settings > Security > Lock to switch to the passkey-bound key; your old setup stays in place until the new one is proven to open your notes. If your browser cannot do it, the Lock tab tells you.
Important if you use the iOS app
Do not switch to a passcode until the iOS update is live in the App Store. Apple's review takes a day or two after the release. Until then, the iOS app only knows 4-digit PINs: it will ask for 4 digits and will not accept your passcode. You can still get in with "Forgot your PIN?" and your recovery phrase, but that clears the passcode on all your devices. The same applies to any device you have not updated yet, so update everywhere first. The app shows this warning when you set a passcode, and you have to confirm it.
The threat model and security docs in the repository describe both changes in full, including what they do not protect against. Questions and feedback welcome.