Security
Privacy you don't have to think about.
Encryption in HIVOXTOK is always on, for everyone. Here is how it works — without the jargon.
End-to-end encryption
When you send a message, your phone encrypts it before it leaves the device. Only your recipient's devices can decrypt it. Our server only sees scrambled data — it delivers it, but can't read it.
- Text, photos, videos, files and voice messages are all encrypted.
- Every conversation has its own key.
- You can verify encryption with your contact by comparing a safety code.
Keys stay on your devices
The keys to your conversations are created on your phone or computer and kept in the device's secure storage. They are never sent to the server in readable form. That's why we can't hand over your messages — and nobody can get them from us.
HIVOXTOK Web encrypts in your browser
The web version is no exception. Keys are created and kept in your browser, and messages are encrypted and decrypted right there. The server receives the same ciphertext as from the phone app.
New devices only with your approval
When you sign in on another device, you approve it from one you already use. Both devices show a 6-digit verification code — if it matches, you confirm the link. This makes sure your keys only travel to you, not to a stranger.
Sign in on the web without a password — just a QR code
- Open hivox.cz/app on your computer. A QR code appears.
- In the HIVOXTOK app on your phone, choose to link a device and scan the code.
- Compare the 6-digit code and confirm the login on your phone.
You don't type a password to sign in on the web, so no fake login page can phish it. Only a phone already approved for your account can log you in. The web asks for your current password only when you change it yourself (⋮ → Change password). The browser session is protected by a secure cookie that page scripts can't read.
Key backup and recovery code
If you lose your phone, a key backup helps. It is encrypted with your recovery code, which only you know. Without it nobody can open the backup — not even us. Keep the code somewhere safe.
Tor mode: a hidden route to the server
In the Android app, turn it on in Security → Send via Tor; in HIVOXTOK for Windows, go to Settings → Account → Security. Messages, voice messages and files then don't go to the server directly but through the Tor network to HIVOXTOK's hidden address. End-to-end encryption still applies — Tor adds secrecy about where you connect from and which service you use.
- Your internet provider or network admin can't see that you use HIVOXTOK.
- Our server can't see your IP address, so it doesn't know where you connect from.
- Tor is built into the app — there is nothing else to install.
- If Tor can't connect, the app sends nothing directly. It would rather wait than give you away.
Good to know: Tor is slower — about 1–2 seconds per message, and the first connection can take up to half a minute. Voice and video calls are turned off in Tor mode because they would reveal your IP address. In the Android version from Google Play, new-message notifications are still delivered by Google, without message content. Google may block SMS sign-in over Tor, so sign in before you turn Tor on. Tor mode is available in the Android and Windows apps; it comes to Mac with the next update.
What the server sees — and what it doesn't
| The server can't see | The server needs, to deliver |
|---|---|
| The content of messages, photos, files and voice notes | Your account (email, name) and your list of devices |
| Your keys and recovery code | Who should receive an encrypted message, and when |
More protection
- App lock and locked chats.
- Disappearing messages and view-once photos.
- Report and block users.
- No ads, no trackers, and we never sell data.
For details on what data we process and why, see the privacy policy.