Anonymous messaging is not a single app — it's a chain of decisions. One weak link (a phone number, a reused password, your home IP) undoes the rest. This guide walks the chain in order, from the account to the network.

Start with your threat model

Before changing anything, decide who you're hiding from. The answer changes your setup completely:

• Data brokers and advertisers — a username-only account and no contact upload is enough.
• A platform or employer — add a separate identity and device.
• A well-resourced adversary — network anonymity, dedicated hardware, and disciplined habits become mandatory.

1. The account

• Avoid phone numbers and email. Both are directly tied to your identity. Choose a service that accepts a username only.
• Use a unique username that you haven't used anywhere else — no birthdays, no handles from other platforms.
• Use a long, unique password and a password manager. Reused passwords are the most common deanonymisation path.
• Turn on two-factor authentication. An authenticator app (TOTP) is better than SMS, which can be SIM-swapped.
• Save your recovery codes offline. If you lose your password, you may lose access to your history; recovery codes reset the authenticator, not the password.

2. The device

• Separate identity, separate profile. A dedicated browser profile or user account keeps cookies, logins and caches apart.
• Prefer a web app in a clean browser over installing an app on your everyday phone if you want less device-level linkage.
• Keep the OS updated — a compromised device reveals everything, encrypted or not.
• Watch notifications. Message previews on a lock screen leak content. Disable previews for private chats.

3. The network

• Your IP is visible to any service you connect to. Encryption protects content, not who is talking.
• A VPN hides your IP from the chat service, but shifts trust to the VPN provider. Choose one with a no-logs policy, or self-host one.
• Tor provides stronger network anonymity at the cost of speed. Some apps work over Tor better than others; a browser-based app usually works fine.
• Avoid mixing networks. Don't log into the same anonymous account from home Wi-Fi and then from work.

4. Behaviour and metadata

Metadata — who, when, how often, from where — is often more revealing than the message itself. Reduce it:

• Don't reuse a nickname across platforms or link your accounts to each other.
• Be careful with links and files. Opening a personal link can reveal your IP to the other side; images can carry metadata.
• Watch timing. Replying instantly at 3am in your timezone is a fingerprint. Not a joke: timing correlation is a real technique.
• Assume screenshots exist. Nothing prevents the person you're talking to from sharing the conversation.

Setting up a private account on Markero

1. Open chat.markero.eu/register in a dedicated browser profile.
2. Pick a unique username and a long password — no phone number, no email.
3. Scan the QR code with an authenticator app and enter the code (MFA is optional).
4. Save the recovery codes offline.
5. Optionally connect through a VPN or Tor before your first login.

Messages, files and voice-call signalling are end-to-end encrypted with PGP Curve25519; the server stores ciphertext and the minimum metadata needed to route messages. See the security page for the details.

FAQ

Can I be truly anonymous?

You can get close if every layer cooperates: no phone/email, a clean device profile, and network protection. Perfect anonymity is an operational discipline, not a product feature.

Is a VPN enough?

No. A VPN changes who sees your IP; it doesn't fix a phone-number-based account or a reused password.

What about disappearing messages?

They reduce how long data exists on the other device, but the recipient can always screenshot. Treat them as a hygiene feature, not a guarantee.