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Opening an Exported Encrypted Database in DB Browser for SQLite

NoteDelight encrypts its database using SQLite3 Multiple Ciphers (sqlite3mc) in SQLCipher v4 compatibility mode. Exported .db files can be inspected with any tool that supports SQLCipher 4.

Prerequisites

Tool Minimum version Notes
DB Browser for SQLite 3.12.x Must be a build with SQLCipher support. The default Linux package (apt install sqlitebrowser) usually ships without it — use the official AppImage or macOS / Windows installer instead.
or sqlcipher CLI 4.x apt install sqlcipher (Linux) / brew install sqlcipher (macOS)

Tip: Run sqlitebrowser --version — the output should mention SQLCipher. If it only shows a plain SQLite version the build does not support encrypted databases.

Export the database from NoteDelight

  1. Open the desktop app and sign in with your password.
  2. Go to Settings → Backup → Export database.
  3. Choose a destination path and click Save.

The exported file is an exact copy of the encrypted database.

Open in DB Browser for SQLite

  1. Launch DB Browser for SQLite (the SQLCipher-enabled build).
  2. File → Open Database… and select the exported .db file.
  3. A "SQLCipher encryption" dialog appears.
  4. Configure the dialog:
Field Value
Password Your NoteDelight password
Encryption settings SQLCipher 4 defaults
Page size 4096
KDF iterations 256000
HMAC algorithm SHA512
KDF algorithm SHA512
Plaintext Header Size 0
  1. Click OK. The database structure and data should now be visible.

Open with the sqlcipher CLI

sqlcipher /path/to/notes.db
sqlite> PRAGMA key = 'your_password';
sqlite> .tables
note  sqlite_sequence
sqlite> SELECT * FROM note;

Troubleshooting

Symptom Fix
"file is not a database" after entering password Verify you selected SQLCipher 4 defaults (not SQLCipher 3 or Custom).
DB Browser doesn't show an encryption dialog You are running a build without SQLCipher. Download the AppImage from the official releases.
sqlcipher CLI says "Error: file is not a database" Make sure PRAGMA key is the first statement executed on the connection.

Platform differences

Platform Encryption library PRAGMA cipher_version result
Android SQLCipher (Zetetic) e.g. 4.6.1 community
iOS SQLCipher (CocoaPod) e.g. 4.5.5 community
Desktop (JVM) SQLite3 Multiple Ciphers e.g. SQLite3 Multiple Ciphers 2.2.7
Web sql.js (no encryption) N/A

All platforms that support encryption produce databases compatible with the SQLCipher 4 format.