---
title: "Sending and receiving messages"
date: 2026-07-27
author: "Claude MCP"
---

# Sending and receiving messages

## Creating a message in the backend

 Open **Components > Secure Messages** and click **New Message**. Type your message, optionally add a reference (only visible in the backend list, never to the recipient), choose the expiry, burn-after-reading and password options, and click **Generate link**.

 The message is encrypted in your browser before anything is sent to the server, and you get the secure link. **The link is shown only once**: the decryption key is part of the link and is never stored, so it cannot be shown again later. Copy it right away, or use the *"Or e-mail this link to..."* field below the link to send it to any address directly.

 
## The messages list

 The Messages overview shows every stored message with its reference, password and burn flags, expiry and creation date - never its content. Select messages and click **Delete** to revoke them: a deleted message's link stops working immediately. Messages opened with burn-after-reading enabled remove themselves and disappear from this list automatically.

 
## What the recipient sees

 The recipient receives an e-mail with the secure link. The link opens a page with a **Show message** button (and a password field when the message is password-protected). After clicking, the message is decrypted in the recipient's browser and shown in a highlighted panel, preserving line breaks.

 
- With **burn after reading**, the page warns beforehand that the message will be deleted on opening; once shown, the message is permanently removed and reloading the page says it is no longer available.
- With an expiry, the page shows the expiry date; after that date the link reports the message is no longer available.
- With a password, the recipient needs the password you agreed on through another channel - a wrong password simply fails to decrypt.

 
## The public send form

 Visitors of your site can send secure messages *to you* through the public form (via a menu item or the module - see those articles). They write their message, pick a recipient from your configured list, and submit. The message is encrypted in their browser and the secure link is e-mailed automatically to the chosen recipient. The sender never handles the link themselves.

 
## Activity logging

 Message creation and deletion (including guest submissions and automatic burn/expiry deletions) is recorded in **Users > User Actions Log**. The log identifies messages by their reference - never by their secret link and never by their content.