Secrets AI character visibility: private, shared and public versions

By Daniel Kraus

Before sharing a Secrets AI character, decide exactly who should be able to use it. Character visibility, the version other people see and the handling of your account data are separate questions. A private draft is not the same thing as a private character, and a share link should not be treated as a promise of reversible access.

This guide uses official documentation checked October 2, 2026. We have not published a character, tested another user’s access or verified the provider’s backend. Our contribution is a release checklist and a version-comparison worksheet. For pricing and the wider product assessment, start with our Secrets AI review.

Choose the audience before choosing a visibility label

The official custom-character guide distinguishes private characters, link-shared characters and publicly discoverable characters. It warns that sharing cannot be switched off after another user starts a conversation. Public listing requires approval. Treat that warning as a decision point before distributing a link.

“Only a few people will receive the link” describes your distribution plan. It does not establish that recipients cannot forward it. If the character relies on a private joke, a personal address or a recognizable real person’s identity, rewrite the concept before considering any broader audience.

Use an entirely fictional adult character. The same official guide prohibits characters based on real people. A fictional name alone is not a meaningful privacy measure if the remaining biography still identifies someone you know.

Review the fields a recipient could encounter

Audit the character as if you had never seen your own working notes. Does the short description make sense by itself? Are the opening message and images consistent with that description? Does anything reveal an account name, workplace, contact address or information about someone who did not agree to be included?

1. Write a one-sentence purpose for the character.
2. List the character fields and media you intend to share.
3. Remove private details that are unnecessary for that purpose.
4. Check each piece independently; a safe description does not establish that every image or opening line is suitable.
5. Record the access state you intend to use before making the change.

A useful final question is: “If this link reached someone outside my intended group, what would I wish I had removed?” Resolve that question before sharing rather than relying on a later deletion or unshare control.

Distinguish your draft from the published character

The current public-character update guide describes a private draft for changes to a public character you own. Your own chats follow that draft; other users keep the published version until approval. Switching the Studio view to Published lets you compare versions, but does not switch your own chat back.

That creates a simple testing trap: a change appears correct in your conversation, so you assume everyone has received it. Instead, label every observation with both the audience and version. “Creator chat, draft” and “published character” are two different checks.

Separate saving, submission and approval

The update guide distinguishes a saved draft from an update submitted for review, and a submitted update from an approved one. It also places voice and the optional image-reference changes outside the draft-approval workflow: those apply immediately when saved. Check the particular field’s behavior before assuming all edits wait for review.

Keep a small release note: “Changed the fictional archivist’s greeting to ask visitors what they need; retained the setting and core personality.” A precise note makes a later discrepancy easier to diagnose. It is more useful than claiming the character is now improved without saying what changed.

If an update is declined, compare the feedback with the exact version you submitted. Avoid changing unrelated sections at the same time. If you discard a draft, first read the confirmation: the documentation says discarding removes that draft and its history permanently. It should not be used casually as a way to switch viewing modes.

Visibility does not answer every privacy question

An access label tells you about a character’s audience. It does not, by itself, establish encryption, retention periods, staff access, deletion from backups or how another participant’s conversation is handled. Likewise, editing a character description is different from correcting a saved memory in a chat.

For a sensitive use case, make a separate list of data-handling questions and check the current provider policy. Do not infer a technical guarantee from a lock icon or the word “private.” Our AI companion privacy guide provides a broader checklist, while the memory guide explains how context and saved facts differ.

Keep only the minimum release evidence you need: date, settings, changed fields and status. A redacted screenshot may establish a selected visibility option without preserving the conversation or payment information. Never publish your own private transcript merely to demonstrate that a character works.

Before sharing: a final five-point check

• The character is fictional, adult and free of identifying details about real people.
• The intended audience matches the selected access setting.
• You understand the documented limit on turning sharing off.
• Your evidence distinguishes draft behavior from the published version.
• You have checked the current rules for any change that may apply immediately.

If any item is unresolved, keep working privately. For choosing a service by its broader controls, see the parent AI companion buying guide. This article is about preparing and verifying a release; it does not promise that a particular submission will be approved.