Guides/On this machine
Encrypt files on an air-gapped machine — Elba fits well
An air-gapped machine has no network by design. Elba runs entirely offline in a browser tab, which makes it a natural fit — you don't have to trust that it stayed offline; the tool cannot go online in the first place.
A workflow that keeps the gap
Transfer Elba.html to the air-gapped machine on a USB stick. Open it in a local Chromium install. Seal or unseal folders as needed. Move the sealed bytes back out on the same stick.
Why this is stronger than desktop tools
Desktop tools can, in principle, be updated silently the next time the machine comes online. An HTML file sitting in a folder does not update itself.
Questions people actually ask
- Does Elba ever try to contact a server?
- No — you can verify this in DevTools before you disconnect the machine.
- Is Chromium safe on an air-gapped machine?
- Yes, if it too was installed offline from a verified source. That's a wider hygiene question, not an Elba one.
Take the island
Elba is one HTML file. It runs locally in a Chromium browser, seals a folder with AES-256-GCM, never phones home, and becomes open source on 1 January 2030.
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- Offline file encryption in a single HTML file
Elba is offline file encryption delivered as one HTML file. No installer, no internet, no telemetry — encrypt a folder with AES-256-GCM.
- A portable encryption tool that fits on a USB drive
Elba runs from a USB stick with no install. One HTML file, one launcher, one folder — sealed with AES-256-GCM wherever you plug it in.