Choose your code
Use “Require access code” from the channel menu and set the code you will use to reveal it.
Access Codes
Hidden channels. Revealed by your code.
Hide a protected channel from your ordinary dashboard. Press and hold the + button, enter your Access Code and reveal it when you need it.
No phone number or email required for core Hat use.
The useful difference
A clearer way to handle sensitive work.
Keep the conversation
Hiding a channel changes its visibility; it does not delete the conversation.
A deliberate way back
A quick tap on + opens usual actions. A long press opens the Access Code keypad.
How it works
Three deliberate steps.
Protect a channel
Open the channel menu and choose Require access code.
Hide it from view
Complete the protection flow shown on your device.
Hold + and enter the code
Press and hold + on the dashboard, then enter the Access Code to reveal your protected channels.
Know the boundary
Choose controls with clear expectations.
Protection differs by platform. Supported Android devices use separately encrypted local records and biometric-gated native key operations. Hiding cannot erase recipient copies or guarantee resistance to a compromised device or specialist forensic extraction.
Review the security evidenceQuestions, answered
Before you get started.
Does hiding delete the conversation?
No. Access Code protection changes what appears in the ordinary dashboard. Enter your code through the long-press + keypad to reveal protected channels.
Is an Access Code the same as a Sealed File PIN?
No. Access Codes reveal hidden channels on your device. A Sealed File PIN unlocks a particular shared file.
City of Hats is free to use. Feature availability and limits vary by plan and client. Premium is optional; review current limits in the app or on the plans page.
Explore what matters next
Build the workflow around your work.
Start with a Hat
Give sensitive work its own space.
Start free. Choose your controls as the work requires them.