Peer-to-peer voice, screen sharing, file transfer and chat for Windows. No accounts, no backend, no middleman.
Status: pre-release. Works end to end; being tested between real PCs. 📋 Release notes: what is new in each version · What is next: docs/TODO.md.
Download CryptChat-Setup-<version>.exe from Releases
and run it. The installer is per user and never asks for administrator rights.
Builds are not code-signed yet. Windows will show "Windows protected your PC": click More info → Run anyway. On PCs with Smart App Control turned on (Windows 11), unsigned apps are blocked and cannot be allowed. Use the source version below until signed builds are available (why).
Requirements: Windows 10/11, Node.js LTS, Git.
git clone https://github.com/kylehesi/cryptchat.git
cd cryptchat
start.cmdstart.cmd installs the dependencies on the first run and then launches the app. You can also
run npm install once and npm start afterwards. To build the installer yourself, run
npm run dist (see docs/RELEASING.md).
- You click GENERATE_PAYLOAD and send the code to your friend through any channel.
- Your friend pastes it, clicks EXECUTE_CONNECT, and sends back their answer code.
- You paste the answer and click EXECUTE_CONNECT. A direct, encrypted WebRTC tunnel opens.
- Read the VERIFY_CODE aloud to each other. If it matches, nobody is in the middle.
From then on, voice, screen (with system audio), files and chat travel directly between the two PCs. The in-app [ ? ] button has the full guide.
Most home networks connect directly. If both sides are behind strict NATs (mobile data, some ISPs' CGNAT), a TURN relay is needed. Add a Cloudflare TURN key or your own coturn server under [ ⚙ ] → NETWORK. See docs/TURN.md. Traffic stays end-to-end encrypted through the relay.
- All traffic is encrypted (WebRTC DTLS-SRTP). There is no unencrypted mode.
- By default your peer can see your public IP address. Enable RELAY_ONLY to hide it.
- Compare the verification code aloud to make sure nobody tampered with the payloads.
- Files are only saved after you accept them, into
Downloads\CryptChat. - Settings (including TURN secrets) are encrypted on disk with Windows DPAPI.
- CryptChat is not an anonymity tool.
Details: docs/ARCHITECTURE.md. Found a vulnerability? See SECURITY.md.
Electron · WebRTC · vanilla JavaScript (ES modules) · no UI framework.
See CONTRIBUTING.md and the Code of Conduct.
CryptChat is free software under the GNU General Public License v3.0.
The installer bundles Electron (MIT) and Chromium, whose
licenses ship next to the app as LICENSE.electron.txt and LICENSES.chromium.html.