Are local notes encrypted?

[A3920]

Are locally stored notes encrypted?

[dpoulton]

I am not a dev, just a user, but I have had a look into how Joplin handles note data.

The answer to your question would be no, unless you have taken steps yourself such as using something like a Veracrypt volume or full disk encryption.

Locally your notes are stored in plain text in your ~/.config/joplin-desktop/database.sqlite file. Your resources / attachments are stored unencrypted in your ~/.config/joplin-desktop/resources folder.

As an aside, if you are thinking of requesting local encryption and / or a passcode lock (or similar), please have a search of this forum first as the pros & cons have been discussed many times and it is also somewhat covered in the FAQ.

Examples:

Security Concern - Found Unencrypted Content in .config File

local data is not encrypted

Questions and Suggestions

Local encryption came up countless times already. These days most operating systems already provide Full Disk Encryption. If not, there are other ways, but not as convenient, since one would have to open a container first. (But even these things can be automated.) In any case, the premise is that if someone already has access to your machine, you most likely have bigger problems. If you want plausible deniability, local encryption won’t help either. If you want to share your computer, use diffe…

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Is it possible to password lock the application upon opening

I can understand there would be a use for this, but as there are other ways to do it it’s relatively low priority in my list. I wouldn’t be opposed to a pull request for it though. Yes if you want more security, the best way is indeed to use something like Truecrypt (that’s what I use for my notes or emails for instance). It would also prevent access to your data if your laptop is stolen for example. If what you’re interested in is simply to hide the application from other users of your comput…

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Is the “Profile” folder encrypted on Windows desktop? I have encryption enabled. I can see photos in the “Resources” folder. database.sqlite is plain text. ANSWER: Local folder is NOT encrypted. “On the local device it is assumed that the data is safe due to the OS built-in security features.” (source:FAQ)