Frequently Asked Questions

Honeycake is a comprehensive platform for file security that lets you protect sensitive content in your files, while storing and sharing them through the tools you already use. We offer a suite of products built on the Honeycake Platform, including consumer apps for desktop and mobile, the Portal for auditing and control, CLI tools for developers, enterprise solutions like Vault and Uploader, and an API for custom integrations. Your data stays private, wherever it goes.

Honeycake uses a process called "Baking™" to encrypt your files. A standard bake works on any file type: you decide who can open the file and for how long. Some file types (pdf, pptx, txt, csv, and json) let you go deeper with Layer Bake™ and decide what sections of the file you want to further protect, and for whom.

Any file can be baked into a simple .cake. These cake files have a single set of authorized users for the entire file.

Some file types (currently PDF, pptx, txt, csv, and json) allow sections of the file to be further protected. Different pages in a pdf, columns in a csv, etc. can be redacted except for users you designate. We call that Layer Bake™. Available in the desktop app. See how it works →

Parbake produces a .cake.pdf that opens as a normal PDF for everyone, with redactions appearing as black boxes. Authorized readers can use Honeycake to see the unredacted version. The encrypted original travels inside the PDF as an attachment, so the file works for both audiences from one artifact.

Available in the desktop app. See Parbake on the Redaction page →

Yes, if the baker adds an Ingredients page. Ingredients puts a searchable label on the visible layer of a .cake.pdf: real PDF text describing the document, sitting on top of the sealed payload. AI can draft the label for you at bake time. Your DMS, Windows Search, and Spotlight then index it with zero integration, and AI tools read it for a tiny fraction of the tokens the full document would cost. The document inside stays encrypted.

One thing to know: ingredients pages are public by construction. They are content the baker chooses, readable by anyone who ever receives the file, and not revocable. See how Ingredients works →

Yes. Unlike traditional file security solutions, Honeycake security travels with the file itself, so your data stays protected no matter where it's stored or how it's shared. Your files are encrypted locally and never uploaded to our servers. You control who can open them, and for how long. By separating file storage from access methods, we add multiple layers of protection between your data and unwanted access. We also follow strict, industry-recognized security standards and continuously update our practices to stay ahead of emerging threats.

The end of the baking process gives you a .cake file. You can share this file with others by any means you normally would, including insecure methods like text, email, slack, dropbox, etc., secure in the knowledge that only the people you designate will be able to open the file.

If you forget your password, you can use the password reset feature on the login page. You'll receive a reset link at your registered email address. For security reasons, we cannot recover your password directly.

Yes, you can revoke access to shared files from anyone or everyone at any time through the application interface. Once revoked, the recipient will no longer be able to access the file. Be warned, however, that once someone has opened a file, they may have a copy of the file in their local storage.

Yes, you can add access to previously shared files at any time through the application interface.

There are no current file size limits, but be warned that, because large files and complex layer bakes take longer to encrypt, your machine and/or patience may fail before our technology does.

You can contact our support team at help@honeycakefiles.com. We typically respond to inquiries within 24 hours.

Honeycake offers a comprehensive suite of products built on our secure platform:

App - Native macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Layer Bake™ and Parbake™ on desktop.

Email - Bake and send a .cake straight from your inbox. Recipients keyed by address.

Opener - Zero install for the recipient. Decrypt a .cake in the browser, locally.

Portal - Your access control surface. See who holds keys for every .cake you've baked. Grant or revoke at any time.

Uploader - Inbound .cake collector. Vendors and clients drop files into your branded portal; they land encrypted in your storage.

Vault - Folder-level monitoring with automated baking.

Actions - Most of the functionality of the App, no download required.

CLI - Command line interface for developers and automation.

API - Programmatic access for enterprise customers building custom solutions.

hcsql - A table is a .cake. Column-level encryption in Postgres with the same key model as files.

The App is designed for anyone who wants an easy-to-use desktop or mobile application for encrypting and sharing files. Our other products serve different needs:

The Portal provides web-based auditing and control over files you've already shared, allowing you to see who accessed them and modify permissions.

The CLI offers the same encryption capabilities but is designed for developers who want to integrate file security into their workflows and automation.

Vault automatically monitors folders and encrypts files as they appear, ideal for organizations with large volumes of files.

Uploader enables secure file uploads directly to cloud storage, perfect for collecting files from clients, vendors, or team members.

The API gives enterprise customers with software development expertise the ability to build custom applications on top of the Honeycake Platform.

Use the App if you prefer a graphical interface and want an easy, point-and-click way to encrypt and decrypt files. Use the CLI if you're a developer or power user who wants to integrate file encryption into scripts, automation workflows, or build tools. The CLI provides the same encryption features as the app but is designed for programmatic use.

Yes! The Portal provides comprehensive audit logs showing exactly who accessed your files and when they were opened. You can see a complete history of all file access activity, giving you full visibility into how your sensitive files are being used.

Yes. The Portal shows not only successful access attempts but also who was blocked from accessing files. This helps you identify unauthorized access attempts and monitor security events in real-time.

Absolutely. With the Portal, sending a file doesn't mean losing control. You can add or remove access to files and file sections at any time, even after sharing. You can see who opened files and when, modify permissions dynamically, and maintain full control over your sensitive documents. It's security with auditability and peace of mind baked in.

Vault is a custom, automated bakery you build with the Honeycake CLI: point it at your folders and every file dropped in is baked into a .cake automatically. Each folder mapping carries its own sharing permissions, time-to-live, and access controls. Perfect for organizations that need to secure large volumes of files with automated security policies and minimal manual intervention. See the CLI page for what powers it.

Uploader is for customers who want an easy way for people to automatically send them sensitive files, properly secured and directly to their Dropbox, Box, S3, or SharePoint storage. Files can be uploaded from internal team members, vendors, clients, or even anonymously, all controlled by your configuration. This eliminates the need for insecure email attachments or unencrypted file transfers.

The Honeycake API provides enterprise customers with software development expertise the ability to build their own applications on top of the Honeycake Platform. Honeycake plugs in seamlessly as security-as-a-service, giving you direct programmatic access to encryption, key management, and access control infrastructure. It's ideal for organizations that need to embed document security directly into their existing applications, workflows, or business processes.