Self-destructing message
Send a message that self-destructs after it’s read
Encrypt in browser and burn after read are already on. If it isn't read within 1 day, it expires anyway.
How to send a self-destructing message
- 1
Write your message
Type or paste anything up to 1 MB — a note, a confession, an address, instructions.
- 2
Create the link
Encryption and burn-after-read are already switched on. Change the expiry if you want it gone sooner.
- 3
Send the link however you like
Text, chat app, email, social DM — it's just a link. Copy all of it; the key is in the part after #.
- 4
It's read once, then destroyed
Your recipient taps to reveal it, reads it, and the message is wiped from the server.
Self-destructing links vs. disappearing messages in apps
WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram and Instagram all have disappearing messages, but only inside their own app — both of you need it installed, need each other as contacts, and the setting applies to the whole chat.
A self-destructing link works across everything. Send it by SMS to someone who isn't on your messenger, drop it in an email, or post it in a group where only the first person to open it gets to read it. The message lives on its own, not in anyone's chat history.
Burn after reading, or after a set time
Burn after read deletes the message the first time it's opened. Expiry deletes it after a set time whether or not anyone read it. Use both — they're both on here — so a message that's never opened doesn't sit around forever.
Want several people to read it before it disappears? Turn burn-after-read off and keep a short expiry, such as 1 hour: everyone with the link can read it until the timer runs out.
Frequently asked questions
Can you send a message that deletes itself?
Yes. Write the message above and create a link with burn-after-read on. When your recipient opens the link and confirms, they read the message once and it is deleted from the server. Anyone who opens the link after that only sees that it has burned.
Does the recipient need an app or an account?
No. A self-destructing message here is just a link, so it works in any app that can send a link — SMS, WhatsApp, Discord, email, a comment box — and opens in any browser. Neither of you needs an account.
Can I send a self-destructing email?
Yes: write the message here and put the link in your email instead of the text. The email itself stays in both mailboxes, but it only contains a link that stops working once it has been read.
Can the recipient screenshot or copy the message?
Yes — nothing on the web can stop that, and apps that claim otherwise can be beaten by a second phone's camera. Self-destructing means the message isn't left behind on a server or in chat history, not that the reader can't keep a copy. Only send it to someone you trust with the content.
What if they never open it?
The message expires on the timer you choose — from 10 minutes up to 1 week — and is deleted unread. This page starts at 1 day.
Will a link preview in the chat destroy the message?
No. The link first shows a confirmation screen and only reveals (and deletes) the message after a person clicks. Preview bots in WhatsApp, iMessage, Slack or Discord never get past that screen.
Is the message anonymous?
There's no account, name or email attached to it, and NullPaste never stores raw IP addresses. With encryption on (the default here), the server can't read the message either — the key is only in the link.