Available now End-to-end encrypted Early-stage MVP

Ephemera: an encrypted room, a code, and a conversation that leaves nothing behind

Create a short-lived room and exchange end-to-end encrypted text and images with someone in real time — no account, no message history, nothing saved once the room is gone. The server relays ciphertext it can't read.

Open Ephemera How it works

Ephemera is an early-stage MVP capped at 3 active rooms system-wide. Messages are end-to-end encrypted, but there's no identity verification beyond comparing safety codes — see the FAQ below before relying on it for anything sensitive.

Problem & solution

Sometimes you just need to send one thing, once

Signing up for a messaging app, or emailing yourself a file, is a lot of ceremony for a single quick exchange. Ephemera skips all of it: open the page, create a room, share the code, and start talking. When you're done, close the tab — there's no account to delete because there was never one to begin with.

Features

What Ephemera does

End-to-end encrypted

Devices agree on an AES-256-GCM key via ephemeral ECDH, negotiated over the relay. The server only ever handles ciphertext — it cannot read your messages or images.

Instant rooms

Create a room and get a short code immediately — no form, no account.

Join by code or link

Share the room code, or a direct /r/<room-id> link that auto-joins.

Real-time text and images

Messages and images up to 2 MB deliver instantly over a live WebSocket connection.

Image preview & download

Click a shared image to open a full-view preview, then copy or download it.

Nothing persisted

No database, no message history — content exists only for the life of the room.

Self-cleaning rooms

A room clears out roughly 2 minutes after the last participant leaves.

Safety code verification

Both devices show a short code derived from the agreed keys. If they match, nobody intercepted the handshake.

Use cases

Who Ephemera is for

Quick cross-device handoff

Send yourself a link, snippet, or screenshot from your phone to your laptop without an app.

A throwaway chat with someone new

Talk to someone without exchanging phone numbers or usernames — share a code, then it's gone.

One-off image sharing

Send a photo or screenshot to someone nearby in real time, with nothing left behind afterward.

How it works

From open tab to conversation

Create a room

Open Ephemera and click Create Room to get a short room code.

Share the code

Send the code or the room link to whoever you want to talk to.

Compare the safety code

Both devices negotiate an encryption key and show a short safety code. Matching codes confirm the exchange wasn't intercepted.

Talk in real time

Exchange end-to-end encrypted text and images instantly — everyone in the room sees them live.

It disappears

Close the tab. The room cleans up on its own a couple of minutes after everyone leaves.

Data & access

What Ephemera accesses, and why

As a web app, Ephemera doesn't install anything on your device. See the privacy policy for the full picture.

Capability	Why it's used
End-to-end encryption (WebCrypto)	Each browser generates an ephemeral ECDH key pair and derives a shared AES-256-GCM key with the other device, using the browser's built-in Web Crypto API. Keys are never sent anywhere and never stored.
WebSocket connection	Delivers end-to-end encrypted message envelopes between everyone currently in your room, in real time. The server relays ciphertext it cannot read.
Clipboard (optional)	Only used if you click "copy" on a shared image — never accessed automatically.
Room registry storage	Server-side only: tracks which room codes currently exist and whether the system is at its 3-room capacity. Never stores chat content or encryption keys.
Accounts / sign-in	Not used. There is no login anywhere in Ephemera.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an account to use Ephemera?

No. Create or join a room with just a room code — there is no sign-in, no email, and no password.

Are Ephemera messages end-to-end encrypted?

Yes. The two devices in a room agree on an AES-256-GCM key by ephemeral ECDH (P-256), negotiated over the relay. The server only ever sees ciphertext and public key material — it cannot decrypt your messages or images, and the protocol itself rejects plaintext messages. Both devices show a short safety code; compare it to confirm nobody intercepted the key exchange.

What's the safety code, and what happens if the two don't match?

It's a short code both devices derive from the encryption keys they just agreed on. If a relay tried to substitute its own keys during the handshake, the two safety codes would differ — that's the whole point of showing it. Ephemera doesn't force this check, so compare the codes yourself (read one aloud, or look at both screens) before treating the room as verified. If they don't match, leave and create a new room.

Does Ephemera save my messages?

No. Messages and images are relayed live between participants and are not written to any database or persistent storage. Once a room expires, there is nothing left to recover.

What happens if I lose my room code?

There is no recovery. Ask another participant still in the room for the code, or create a new room. This is by design — recoverable rooms would require persistent storage or accounts, which Ephemera deliberately avoids.

Why does it say the app is at capacity?

Ephemera currently allows a maximum of 3 active rooms system-wide, since it's an early-stage MVP. Wait for a room to expire (rooms clean up a few minutes after everyone leaves) and try again.