Premium Feature

Card Protection Options

Control who can open your card and what they can do with it: a PIN, email verification, a single view, or no downloads.

TD
TD
Founder, eCards Photos
Published: Updated:

Keep It Private

Every card opens for anyone who has the link. Keep It Private, on the Send step, changes that: switch it on and pick a protection level — a PIN, a check that the person opening it is who you addressed it to, one view only, or no downloads. It is a Card Pack feature.

Three presets cover almost every case; Custom opens every switch. The recipient sees the restriction before the card, you can unlock the card any time from your dashboard, and a downloaded copy cannot enforce any of it — protection lives on the link.

Standard — a PIN and a read receipt

1

Switch Keep It Private on and leave Standard selected.

2

Set a PIN of 4 to 8 digits and confirm it. Digits only.

3

Tell them the PIN some other way — a text, a call. Never in the same message as the link.

4

Create the card. They see a Protected Card screen and enter the PIN to open it; you get notified when it is opened.

Five wrong guesses lock the card for 30 minutes. Unlock it from your dashboard if that catches the right person with a typo.

The Standard preset — PIN required to view, and you get notified when opened
The Standard preset — PIN required to view, and you get notified when opened

Maximum — for surprise reveals

The Maximum preset — email verification, one-time view, auto-lock
The Maximum preset — email verification, one-time view, auto-lock

Maximum is for a card that should be seen once, by one person. Enter the allowed recipient email(s) — up to ten — and the card can only be opened by someone signed in with one of those addresses. They create a free account or sign in with Google; the address is the identity check.

It is also one view only: after that single viewing the card locks itself. If they need to see it again, Unlock it from your dashboard and it grants one more.

Custom — every option, your mix

Custom shows the same email field, then Advanced Options with each protection on its own switch:

PIN Lock

A 4–8 digit PIN, entered before the card opens.

Email Verification

Only the allowed addresses can open it, signed in.

Single View (View-Once)

Locks after one viewing; Unlock grants one more.

View Only (No Downloads)

Removes the download and print buttons.

Under those: Lock card after viewing, and two notifications — Show in Dashboard and Email me when opened.

Custom’s Advanced Options — PIN, email verification, single view, view only, lock after viewing, notifications
Custom’s Advanced Options — PIN, email verification, single view, view only, lock after viewing, notifications

What the Recipient Sees

A PIN card opens on a Protected Card screen with one field. An email-verified card asks them to sign in with an allowed address first. Either way the restriction comes before the card, so nothing is shown until it is met.

The Protected Card screen a recipient sees before a PIN card opens
The Protected Card screen a recipient sees before a PIN card opens

Managing a Protected Card

From the card’s ••• menu on your dashboard:

  • ✓Access Log — who opened the card and when
  • ✓Edit recipients — add or remove allowed email addresses
  • ✓Unlock — reopen a card locked by a wrong PIN or by single view

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after a wrong PIN?
Five wrong guesses lock the card for 30 minutes. If it stays locked, or you want it open sooner, Unlock it from your dashboard.
Can I combine the options?
Yes. Choose Custom and open Advanced Options: PIN lock, email verification, single view and view-only can be switched on together, plus lock-after-viewing and the two notifications.
Does the recipient need an account?
Only for email verification (the Maximum preset, or Email Verification under Custom). They sign in with a free account or Google using one of the addresses you allowed. A PIN-only card needs no account.
Does View Only stop screenshots?
No. View Only removes the download and print buttons, so the full-quality photos and the card file cannot be saved. A screenshot of the screen is still possible.
Can I change protection after creating the card?
From your dashboard you can unlock a locked card, edit the allowed recipients and read the access log. The protection type itself is set when the card is created.
Is a protected card the same as a Sealed card?
No. Keep It Private controls who can open the card and what they can do; a Sealed card is end-to-end encrypted, with the key only in the share link. Protected cards can be scheduled; Sealed cards cannot.

Related Help

Scheduling Delivery

Protected cards can be scheduled; a PIN plus a delivery time is the classic surprise.

Premium Features

Everything a Card Pack unlocks.

Protect Your Cards

Get a one-time Card Pack and keep your cards private with PIN, email verification, and view-once protection.

Create Your Card