diff -up a/iron b/iron
--- a/iron	2022-09-24 11:53:05.582410603 +0200
+++ b/iron	2022-09-24 13:39:33.092900858 +0200
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ IRON_INIT()
 		  $0 && IRON_EXIT
   fi
 
+  basedir=$(pwd)
+
   # check connection
   ping -q "1.1.1.1" -c 1 > /dev/null || IRON_FAIL_NOT_CONNECTED
 
@@ -277,6 +279,17 @@ IRON_PRINT_MESSAGES()
 				done
 		fi
 
+		# apply hidden messages patch created
+		if [ "$haspatched" != "true" ]; then
+				if [ -e "$WDIR/iron-hiddenmessages.diff" ]; then
+						basedir=$(pwd)
+						cd $WDIR
+						patch -fs < $WDIR/iron-hiddenmessages.diff || FAIL_PATCH_DID_NOT_APPLY
+						haspatched=true
+						cd $basedir
+				fi
+		fi
+
 		# get the number of messages we need from the parsed list of stuff
 		fold -w${SEPCOUNT} $WDIR/iron-messagedata | head -n $LINECOUNT
 		printf "${COLOR_01}$FSEP"
@@ -285,6 +298,78 @@ IRON_PRINT_MESSAGES()
 		donotreprint=false
 }
 
+# fail: patch didn't apply correctly
+FAIL_PATCH_DID_NOT_APPLY() {
+		rm -f $WDIR/*.rej
+		rm -f $WDIR/*.orig
+		rm -f $WDIR/*.diff
+		rm -f $WDIR/iron-messagedata
+		rm -f $WDIR/iron-messagedata-tmp
+		clear
+		donotreprint=false
+
+		cd $basedir
+
+		# reprint everything because patch was bad
+		IRON_DOWNLOAD_API
+		IRON_HEADER
+		IRON_PRINT_MESSAGES
+
+		$0 && IRON_EXIT
+}
+
+# function to create a patch
+IRON_HIDE_MSG() {
+		# if there is messagedata, continue
+		# otherwise, don't
+		if [ -e "$WDIR/iron-messagedata" ]; then
+				cp $WDIR/iron-messagedata $WDIR/iron-messagedata-tmp
+		else
+				return 1
+		fi
+
+		# choose editor to use
+		if [ "$EDITOR" = "" ]; then
+				vim $WDIR/iron-messagedata-tmp
+		else
+				$EDITOR $WDIR/iron-messagedata-tmp
+		fi
+
+		# once the user has edited the temporary messagedata, make a patch with the changes
+		diff -up $WDIR/iron-messagedata $WDIR/iron-messagedata-tmp > $WDIR/iron-hiddenmessages.diff
+		
+		cd $WDIR
+		patch -fs < $WDIR/iron-hiddenmessages.diff || rm -f $WDIR/iron-messagedata $WDIR/iron-messagedata-tmp $WDIR/*.diff $WDIR/*.rej $WDIR/*.orig
+		haspatched=true
+
+		cd $basedir
+		donotreprint=true
+		IRON_HEADER
+		IRON_PRINT_MESSAGES
+}
+
+# hide messages
+IRON_SHOW_MSG() {
+		if [ -e "$WDIR/iron-hiddenmessages.diff" ]; then
+				cd $WDIR
+
+				# reverse changes
+				patch -R < $WDIR/iron-hiddenmessages.diff || FAIL_PATCH_DID_NOT_APPLY
+
+				rm -f $WDIR/iron-hiddenmessages.diff
+
+				# print messages
+				donotreprint=true
+				clear
+				IRON_HEADER
+				IRON_PRINT_MESSAGES
+		else
+				rm -f $WDIR/iron-hiddenmessages.diff
+
+				FAIL_PATCH_DID_NOT_APPLY
+		fi
+}
+
 # send the message using curl that we composed
 IRON_SEND_MESSAGE()
 {
@@ -363,10 +448,13 @@ IRON_CMD()
   "q") IRON_EXIT ;;
   "l") IRON_MAIN ;;
   "r") rm -f $WDIR/iron-messagedata && ${0} && IRON_EXIT ;;
+  "hide") IRON_HIDE_MSG ;;
+  "show") IRON_SHOW_MSG ;;
   "reset") rm -rf $WDIR/ && ${0} && IRON_EXIT ;;
   "e") touch $WDIR/iron-editor-message ; $EDITOR $WDIR/iron-editor-message && IRON_MESSAGE_TYPE=editor && IRON_SEND_MESSAGE ;;
   esac
 
+  cd $basedir
   $0 && IRON_EXIT
 }