What File Encryption is
File Encryption adds an extra layer of privacy to the files you choose. A file is encrypted on your device before it's uploaded, so its title, text and notes are stored in a form that only you can open.
To open an encrypted file, you use an encryption password. It's separate from your Speechify login, and Speechify never sees it. You unlock each browser with this password once, and again after you sign out.
When to use it
Turn it on for files you wouldn't want anyone else to read, for example:
Medical records, test results or therapy notes
Contracts, legal papers, tax returns and bank statements
Work documents under NDA, unpublished manuscripts or exam materials
Personal journals and letters
For everyday reading like articles, books or class notes, you don't need it. Files without encryption keep every feature, including AI chat and sharing.
What's protected
Encrypted in storage | Visible so your library can sync |
Title and cover | File type and size |
Excerpt and source link | Word and page counts |
Pages and text | Listening progress |
Text of your highlights, notes and bookmarks | Where highlights and bookmarks sit in the text |
| Date added and folder |
When you listen with a cloud voice, the text needed for playback is sent to our voice servers.
What works differently
AI features, sharing and Copy Link are off for encrypted files, and you can't attach them to a chat.
Listening works as usual. Once a file is unlocked, you can also rename, download and print it.
In a browser where you haven't unlocked your files yet, they show as Encrypted file with a lock, without the real title or cover.
Encrypted files have a lock next to their title in your Library and in the reader.
You choose encryption when you add a file. Files already in your Library can't be encrypted later.
Files imported from a web link can't be encrypted.
File Encryption isn't available with a guest account.
Set up File Encryption
Go to Settings › Encryption and click Set Up.
Read the overview and click Continue.
Create an encryption password and enter it again to confirm. The meter under the field shows how strong it is. Click Continue.
On Save Your Recovery Key, click Copy, Download or Print, store the key somewhere safe, then click I've Saved It.
On Let's Double Check, enter the two missing groups of your key and click Confirm.
You'll see File encryption is active.
You can also start setup while uploading. Turn on Encrypt this file and follow the same steps.
Keep your recovery key safe. It's the only way back in if you forget your encryption password, and Speechify can't recover either of them for you. The key is 28 characters long, in 7 groups of 4, for example K7QM-9XTP-2NWD-R4VN-Q8HC-M3TA-6FJZ. Download it, print it, or store it in a password manager.
Encrypt a file
Click + Add and choose a file.
In the Add File window, turn on Encrypt this file.
Click Add File.
The file opens with an Encrypted label next to its title.
If you started setting up encryption but didn't finish, you'll be asked whether to Finish Setup & Encrypt or Add Without Encryption.
Unlock encrypted files in a browser
You need to do this once in each new browser or on each new computer, and again after you sign out.
Click any file marked Encrypted file in your Library, or go to Settings › Encryption and click Unlock.
Enter your encryption password and click Unlock.
You'll see Encrypted files unlocked, and your files show their real titles again.
Forgot your encryption password
In the unlock window, click Use your recovery key.
Paste or type your key, or click Upload and choose the key file you downloaded during setup. Click Continue.
Create a new encryption password and click Save & Unlock.
Change your password or recovery key
Go to Settings › Encryption.
Change Password: enter your current password, then create a new one.
Create New Key: enter your encryption password, then save and confirm the new key the same way as during setup. The new key replaces the old one once you confirm it. Until then, the old key keeps working.
⚠️Turn off File Encryption
Turning off File Encryption permanently deletes all your encrypted files. Files without encryption aren't affected, and you can set up encryption again anytime.
Go to Settings › Encryption and click Disable.
Click Turn off anyway.
Confirm it's you with Continue with Google or Continue with Email.
Common questions
Is the encryption password the same as my Speechify password?
No. It's a separate password that only protects your encrypted files. Changing your Speechify login doesn't change it.
What if I lose both my password and my recovery key?
Then nobody can open those encrypted files, including Speechify. You can reset encryption and start over, but resetting deletes your encrypted files, and they can't be recovered.
Why can't I use AI chat or share an encrypted file?
These features need Speechify to read the file's contents, which encryption is designed to prevent. If you need them for a file, add it without encryption.
Can I open encrypted files in the Speechify mobile apps?
Yes. Encrypted files appear in your Library wherever you're signed in. Update the app on your phone or tablet first, because older versions don't show encrypted files. Then unlock them with your encryption password.
Why are my files locked on a new computer?
Encrypted files can only be opened in browsers you've unlocked. Click a locked file and enter your encryption password. You'll need to do this again after you sign out.
I started setting up encryption but didn't finish. What now?
Go to Settings › Encryption and click Finish Set Up. You'll enter your encryption password, then save and confirm your recovery key.