Frequently Asked Questions
Locketpad is a free, offline-first encrypted notepad application for Windows. It allows you to securely write and store notes directly on your device without any internet connection or accounts required.
Very secure. Every note is encrypted using industry-standard AES-256 with PBKDF2 key derivation before being saved locally. This is the same encryption level used by banks and governments. Without your master password, the data is effectively inaccessible — even if someone has physical access to your computer.
No. Locketpad works completely offline. There is no cloud sync, no login, and no data ever leaves your device unless you manually export it.
Yes, completely free forever. There are no ads, no subscriptions, and no hidden costs. Optional donations help support ongoing development.
An easy-to-use installer is provided, making setup familiar and straightforward even for less experienced users. The installer also automatically registers the .lkt file extension so your Locketpad files open directly with the app. You can get it on the Download page.
Yes — its strong encryption makes it excellent for passwords, journals, or any private data. Just remember: never forget your master password/PIN. If lost, the encrypted data is unrecoverable by design (no backdoors or recovery options exist).
Yes. You can safely copy or move the encrypted .lkt files to another computer with Locketpad installed. The recipient will need the exact same master password/PIN you used to create the file in order to open it.
Yes. Locketpad uses the battle-tested Fernet specification (AES-128 in CBC mode with HMAC-SHA256 authentication) from the widely respected Python cryptography library. This format has remained unchanged and fully backward-compatible for over a decade. As long as future versions continue to use the standard Fernet implementation (which is the plan), any .lkt file created today will open reliably years from now — provided you still know the password/PIN.
Yes, the .lkt files remain strongly encrypted in transit and at rest. As long as you share the password securely through a separate channel (e.g., phone call or encrypted messaging), emailing the file is safe.
While a portable version may be available, the recommended method is the installer for the best experience and file association support. Download it from the Download page.
The application is in final development and scheduled for release in Spring 2026.