Encrypted one-time file sharing
Send one file up to 25 MB without an account or a decryption key in the link
Short answer: OncePad is a free, no-account service for sharing a password, secret, or file through an end-to-end encrypted link. The link contains no decryption key, works once, and expires after 24 hours. Files may be up to 25 MB.
What “one-time file sharing” means here
OncePad encrypts the file and its filename in your browser before upload. The server publishes one random link, but that link contains no key: the recipient must also enter the generated 7-word passphrase you send on another channel. The link can be redeemed once and expires unopened after 24 hours.
Send a file in four steps
- Choose File on the OncePad home page and select one file no larger than 25 MB.
- Your browser encrypts the bytes and the filename with AES-256-GCM. The storage provider receives ciphertext, its size, and transfer timing — not the readable file, filename, MIME type, or passphrase.
- Send the link by email, chat, or ticket, and send the generated passphrase by a different app, text message, call, or in person.
- The recipient enters the words and redeems the link. OncePad returns a short-lived download capability and retires the one-time link.
The honest limit of “one download”
The OncePad link is redeemable exactly once. After redemption, the recipient receives a storage-provider URL valid for up to five minutes; the person holding that temporary URL can retry the byte download during that window. This handles interrupted transfers, but it means the service cannot prove that the recipient saved only one copy. A recipient can always copy a file after decryption.
When to use something else
Use a managed file portal when you need files larger than 25 MB, identity verification, repeated access, organization-wide retention, audit trails, signatures, or regulatory workflow. OncePad is intentionally a small, short-lived handoff for one recipient.