# What is the difference between read-only and PIN-protected notes?

"Read-only" (in the note options menu, Pro) locks a note against edits so a finished document cannot be mangled by accident; it hides nothing. "Protect" (same menu, Pro) hides a note's title and contents behind your PIN or biometric unlock, for the things you would rather not have visible on a screen others sometimes see.

Both are on-screen gates rather than a second layer of encryption. The flags travel inside the note's own encrypted data, and the note is deliberately not re-encrypted with your PIN, so a forgotten PIN can never destroy data. The phrase stays the real boundary: protect it first, and use these gates for the screen that other people sometimes see.

## Read the source

- THREAT_MODEL.md: Lock / PIN-protect notes -> https://privacynotes.app/docs/threat-model.md (source: https://github.com/LifetimeLabsDev/PrivacyNotes.app/blob/main/THREAT_MODEL.md#lock--pin-protect-notes)

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Source: https://privacynotes.app/help/locked-vs-protected