How can we help?
Every function of Private.Ki, explained step by step — with screenshots for the device you’re using.
Everything, by topic
Start here
What Private.Ki is, how encryption works in plain words, installing the apps, and the basics.
- Getting started: your first ten minutes
- How encryption works, in plain words
- Install Private.Ki on iPhone and Android
Account & sign-in
Create an account, sign in, QR sign-in, device pairing, unlock methods, two-factor, recovery, locked or suspended accounts.
- Set up two-factor authentication (TOTP)
- Sign in on a new device with a QR code
- PIN, Face ID and fingerprint unlock in the apps
Compose, Encrypt and Sign switches, attachments to 25 MB, signatures, undo send, folders, search, external mail.
- What the lock and shield icons mean
- Undo send (5–30 seconds)
- Search your mail (subject and people — never the body)
Chat & groups
1:1 chat, groups of up to six, invite links and QR codes, reactions, voice messages, self-destruct timers, unsend.
- Invite someone who isn't on Private.Ki
- Self-destructing messages (After sent: 30 s to 1 month)
- Unsend or destroy a message (within 1 hour)
Encryption & keys
How encryption works, your passphrase, key management, export and import public keys, signatures, OPAQUE.
14 articlesPrivacy & transparency
What our server can and cannot see, warrant canary, transparency report, GDPR, the third parties we use.
8 articlesConnectivity & troubleshooting
Tor, VPN, going offline and reconnecting, push notifications, web app vs native apps.
- Use Private.Ki over Tor
- Offline, reconnecting and the 30-minute auto-lock
- Push notifications on iPhone and Android
Contact & support
How to reach us, report abuse, and what we can and cannot do for you (we cannot read your mail — so we cannot restore it either).
2 articlesYour first ten minutes
Three articles, in order. Each one takes under three minutes and ends with something working.
Create your account
Pick a username, a display name and a password, then choose how you unlock your mail. Your encryption keys are generated on your device — we never see them.
Password only or passphrase — choose how you unlock
Signing in gets you to your account; unlocking opens your keys. At sign-up you choose whether one password does both or a passphrase protects your key.
Compose and send an email
Open a new message, add up to five recipients, write and send. Mail to Private.Ki users is always encrypted; Encrypt and Sign switches cover everyone else.
Popular articles
Things we publish so you don’t have to trust us
Live status, updated on a schedule. Each card is also an article.
What our server can and cannot see
The complete list, both columns — message bodies, keys and passphrases on one side; addressing and timestamps on the other.
Reviewed against app release 2026.09Warrant canary
Signed statement that we have received no secret orders.
Updated on scheduleTransparency report
Requests for user data received, and what we could hand over: nothing readable.
Published periodicallyThird parties we use
Cloudflare, Matomo (website only), realtime blackhole lists. Why, and what each one sees.
4 disclosuresTalk to a person
Support can see your account status, whether two-factor is on, and whether a recovery address is set. Support cannot see your mail, your chats, or your passphrase — so please don’t send them.
Support cannot see
- Your emails and chats
- Your passphrase or private key
- Attachments and voice messages
Support can see
- Username and account status
- Whether 2FA / recovery are set
- Sign-in problems and rate limits