Encrypted notes app that works without signing up for anything

The pattern

Write your notes as plain .md files with any editor — Notepad, TextEdit, VS Code, Obsidian pointed at a local folder. Keep them in one folder called 'notes'. Seal that folder with a single-file encryption tool when you close the laptop; unseal it when you sit down.

What you keep

Ownership of the files in a format that will read on any computer in 2050. No lock-in. No 'the service is shutting down; please export by June'. No account someone can compromise.

Where Elba fits

Elba is a single HTML file that seals a folder with AES-256-GCM. Point it at your notes folder; it becomes one encrypted bundle. Open Elba, type your passphrase, and the folder is back. Nothing to sign up for; nothing about your notes ever leaves the browser tab.

Questions people actually ask

Can I use Obsidian this way?

Yes — keep your vault as a plain folder, and seal that folder with Elba when you're not using it.

What about tags and search?

Editors like Obsidian give you both, on plaintext files, while the vault is open. When sealed, contents are unindexable.

Is this really as secure as a dedicated notes app?

For the encryption itself, yes — the cipher is the same. The difference is convenience and cross-device sync.