Before you create a link
Choose Message for a read-only note or file handoff, and Peer chat for a conversation. Both depend on connected browsers. Share only with people you intend to give access, and keep the necessary holders and file sources present until your exchange is complete.
Questions, answered
Do I need an account or an installed app?
No. Held runs in the browser without account registration. The sharing tools need JavaScript and supported browser cryptography and connection features. A local signing identity is used for messages and chats; it is separate from registering an account. File receiving and larger downloads require additional browser capabilities.
Does a message disappear after someone reads it?
No. The default message ends when the original creator session leaves, reloads, disconnects, or expires. A carried message ends when the final admitted holder leaves or expires, or when the original connected creator chooses End. These are session lifetimes, not read-once destruction or a fixed timer. Saved recipient copies can remain.
Can a room be reopened after everyone has left?
Once the final required holder has left or expired and the room has ended, its old link cannot recreate it. Held has no server content archive to recover. A carried message or group can be joined again only while another valid holder keeps it available, using the complete secret link and a fresh handoff.
Is Held anonymous?
Held does not require a name or an account, but it does not provide anonymity. Peers and network providers can observe addresses or timing. A saved signing identity is recognizable across future rooms, and message content or file metadata can identify someone. End-to-end encryption protects content in the intended transfer path; it does not hide every piece of metadata.
How many people and messages can a group hold?
A Peer chat supports up to 16 participants. Each post permits up to 4 KiB of UTF-8 text. Each browser retains up to 200 messages and 512 KiB of aggregate message text, whichever limit is reached first. New arrivals receive the history available from connected peers; complete or permanent history is not guaranteed.
What do participant IDs and Received by counts prove?
A verified participant ID is a fingerprint of an authenticated signing key, not proof of a real-world person. Received by counts indicate that peer browsers acknowledged a signed group post. They do not prove it was read, that files were downloaded, or that copies still exist. Older peers may receive posts without supporting acknowledgements.
What are the file limits, and why might a download stop?
A new message or group post supports five files of up to 1 GB each, for 5 GB total. Available browser storage also limits receiving. Downloads require reachable peers with every needed file piece. A room can stay live after some pieces become unavailable. Saving files above 10 MB requires supported desktop Chrome or Edge streaming-save capabilities.
Can Held erase downloads or guarantee a disguised voice is unrecognizable?
No. Original files, copied text, screenshots, and saved downloads remain under their holders’ control. A disguised recording changes pitch and vocal resonance locally, but wording, accent, speech patterns, and background sounds can still identify someone. Neither ending the session nor applying a voice effect provides remote erasure or an anonymity guarantee.
Are short links encrypted like Held messages?
No. The separate Short link tool stores a normal destination URL on Held’s server until its selected expiry: one hour, one day, one week, or 30 days. It adds no click tracking. Secret Held invitations are rejected by the shortener, and other confidential bearer URLs should not be submitted if you do not want the service to know them.
Why can I open Held but fail to connect to a message or chat?
Loading the site and establishing a direct peer connection are different steps. Firewalls, restrictive networks, VPNs, browser policies, or unavailable holders can prevent a handoff. Held has no TURN relay or server payload fallback. Check that the required holder remains connected and try another supported browser or network; ended rooms cannot be restored this way.
Ready when you are.
No account needed. Encryption and peer connections run in your browser.
Open Held