Texting a friend to having more private conversations, be times to add an extra layer of security to your texts. Protecting your messages isn’t just about privacy – avoid potentially embarrassing or harmful situations if your texts fall into the wrong hands. Fortunately, there are a few simple tools and techniques used as a beginner to lock down your text messages and give you more control to access them. There are also apps and online services specifically for protecting text message content. Private message boxes essentially act like temporary email accounts. You compose a message in the app and get a link to send to the recipient. When they click the link, the message opens in a short time before being deleted from the service’s servers.
One popular option is Privnote, which private message after they’re read. The service also alerts you if the recipient takes a screenshot of your message while it’s open. There are no accounts to manage and all messages are stored encrypted until viewed. Just generate a new link you want to send a private text.
Convert texts to secure files
They convert your longer text conversations into encrypted files if you want to protect them from being read by others. Use a text editor like Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on a Mac to copy the messages into a document. Then use a file encryption program like 7zip or VeraCrypt to password-protect the document. When you go to share the file, be sure to transmit it securely as well, like through a private message box or encrypted chat. You’ll need to provide the password separately for the recipient to decrypt and view the messages. It takes a bit more work than a messaging app but gives you total control over a text document’s security.
Enable text backup encryption
They are smartphones automatically back up your texts to the cloud. While this makes it easy to restore messages when you get a new phone, it also presents a security risk if your cloud account is compromised. Fortunately, both Apple and Google allow you to encrypt your iOS and Android backups stored on their servers. Turning this feature on will require you to set a password each time you backup and restore text messages from the cloud. So nobody but you can access the encrypted backup copy. Make sure to use a strong password and two-factor authentication for your associated cloud account for the private message in online text.
Hide texts in a secure folder
If you want to keep certain text conversations strictly private on your actual device, many phones have a secure folder feature. On Samsung Galaxy phones it’s called Secure Folder and on Pixel phones it’s named Locked Folder. These folders are typically encrypted and can only be accessed if your phone is unlocked. Move any risque or sensitive texts into your secure folder for on-device protection. Just to avoid taking screenshots or video captures of texts within the secure environment.
