diff --git a/src/components/DisplaySigit/index.tsx b/src/components/DisplaySigit/index.tsx
index 5147b45..20550b3 100644
--- a/src/components/DisplaySigit/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/DisplaySigit/index.tsx
@@ -112,32 +112,37 @@ export const DisplaySigit = ({
           </>
         )}
       </div>
-      <div className={styles.itemActions}>
-        <Tooltip title="Duplicate" arrow placement="top" disableInteractive>
-          <Button
-            sx={{
-              color: 'var(--primary-main)',
-              minWidth: '34px',
-              padding: '10px'
-            }}
-            variant={'text'}
-          >
-            <FontAwesomeIcon icon={faCopy} />
-          </Button>
-        </Tooltip>
-        <Tooltip title="Archive" arrow placement="top" disableInteractive>
-          <Button
-            sx={{
-              color: 'var(--primary-main)',
-              minWidth: '34px',
-              padding: '10px'
-            }}
-            variant={'text'}
-          >
-            <FontAwesomeIcon icon={faArchive} />
-          </Button>
-        </Tooltip>
-      </div>
+      {
+        // TODO: enable buttons once feature is ready
+        false && (
+          <div className={styles.itemActions}>
+            <Tooltip title="Duplicate" arrow placement="top" disableInteractive>
+              <Button
+                sx={{
+                  color: 'var(--primary-main)',
+                  minWidth: '34px',
+                  padding: '10px'
+                }}
+                variant={'text'}
+              >
+                <FontAwesomeIcon icon={faCopy} />
+              </Button>
+            </Tooltip>
+            <Tooltip title="Archive" arrow placement="top" disableInteractive>
+              <Button
+                sx={{
+                  color: 'var(--primary-main)',
+                  minWidth: '34px',
+                  padding: '10px'
+                }}
+                variant={'text'}
+              >
+                <FontAwesomeIcon icon={faArchive} />
+              </Button>
+            </Tooltip>
+          </div>
+        )
+      }
     </div>
   )
 }
diff --git a/src/pages/create/index.tsx b/src/pages/create/index.tsx
index 89a09b4..4501ecc 100644
--- a/src/pages/create/index.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/create/index.tsx
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ import {
   DEFAULT_TOOLBOX,
   settleAllFullfilfedPromises,
   parseNostrEvent,
-  uploadMetaToFileStorage
+  uploadMetaToFileStorage,
+  timeout
 } from '../../utils'
 import { Container } from '../../components/Container'
 import fileListStyles from '../../components/FileList/style.module.scss'
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ import { useNDKContext } from '../../hooks/useNDKContext.ts'
 import { useNDK } from '../../hooks/useNDK.ts'
 import { useImmer } from 'use-immer'
 import { ButtonUnderline } from '../../components/ButtonUnderline/index.tsx'
+import { TimeoutError } from '../../types/errors/TimeoutError.ts'
 
 type FoundUser = NostrEvent & { npub: string }
 
@@ -165,8 +167,8 @@ export const CreatePage = () => {
     return pubkey
   }
 
-  const handleSearchUsers = async (searchValue?: string) => {
-    const searchString = searchValue || userSearchInput || undefined
+  const handleSearchUsers = async () => {
+    const searchString = userSearchInput || undefined
 
     if (!searchString) return
 
@@ -174,14 +176,17 @@ export const CreatePage = () => {
 
     const searchTerm = searchString.trim()
 
-    fetchEventsFromUserRelays(
-      {
-        kinds: [0],
-        search: searchTerm
-      },
-      usersPubkey,
-      UserRelaysType.Write
-    )
+    Promise.race([
+      fetchEventsFromUserRelays(
+        {
+          kinds: [0],
+          search: searchTerm
+        },
+        usersPubkey,
+        UserRelaysType.Write
+      ),
+      timeout(30000)
+    ])
       .then((events) => {
         const nostrEvents = events.map((event) => event.rawEvent())
 
@@ -219,6 +224,9 @@ export const CreatePage = () => {
           toast.info('No user found with the provided search term')
       })
       .catch((error) => {
+        if (error instanceof TimeoutError) {
+          toast.error('Search timed out. Please try again.')
+        }
         console.error(error)
       })
       .finally(() => {
@@ -248,22 +256,23 @@ export const CreatePage = () => {
 
       // If pasted user npub of nip05 is present, we just add the user to the counterparts list
       if (pastedUserNpubOrNip05) {
-        setUserInput(pastedUserNpubOrNip05)
+        setUserInput(pastedUserNpubOrNip05.trim())
         setPastedUserNpubOrNip05(undefined)
       } else {
-        // Otherwize if search already provided some results, user must manually click the search button
+        // Otherwise if search already provided some results, user must manually click the search button
         if (!foundUsers.length) {
+          const searchTerm = userSearchInput.trim()
           // If it's NIP05 (includes @ or is a valid domain) send request to .well-known
           const domainRegex = /^[a-zA-Z0-9@.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}$/
-          if (domainRegex.test(userSearchInput)) {
+          if (searchTerm.startsWith('_@') || domainRegex.test(searchTerm)) {
             setSearchUsersLoading(true)
 
-            const pubkey = await handleSearchUserNip05(userSearchInput)
+            const pubkey = await handleSearchUserNip05(searchTerm)
 
             setSearchUsersLoading(false)
 
             if (pubkey) {
-              setUserInput(userSearchInput)
+              setUserInput(searchTerm)
             } else {
               toast.error(`No user found with the NIP05: ${userSearchInput}`)
             }
@@ -414,7 +423,7 @@ export const CreatePage = () => {
 
     setUserSearchInput('')
 
-    if (input.startsWith('npub')) {
+    if (input.startsWith('npub1')) {
       return handleAddNpubUser(input)
     }
 
@@ -1059,17 +1068,13 @@ export const CreatePage = () => {
     }
 
     // Seems like it's npub format
-    if (value.startsWith('npub')) {
-      // We will try to convert npub to hex and if it's successfull that means
-      // npub is valid
-      const validHexPubkey = npubToHex(value)
-
-      if (validHexPubkey) {
-        // Arm the manual user npub add after enter is hit, we don't want to trigger search
-        setPastedUserNpubOrNip05(value)
-      } else {
-        disarmAddOnEnter()
-      }
+    if (value.trim().startsWith('npub1')) {
+      setPastedUserNpubOrNip05(value.trim())
+    } else if (value.trim().startsWith('nsec1')) {
+      toast.warn('Oops - never paste your nsec into a website! Key deleted.')
+      if (searchFieldRef.current) searchFieldRef.current.value = ''
+      setUserSearchInput('')
+      return
     } else {
       // Disarm the add user on enter hit, and trigger search after 1 second
       disarmAddOnEnter()
@@ -1229,7 +1234,7 @@ export const CreatePage = () => {
                 {!pastedUserNpubOrNip05 ? (
                   <Button
                     disabled={!userSearchInput || searchUsersLoading}
-                    onClick={() => handleSearchUsers()}
+                    onClick={handleSearchUsers}
                     variant="contained"
                     aria-label="Add"
                     className={styles.counterpartToggleButton}
@@ -1243,7 +1248,7 @@ export const CreatePage = () => {
                 ) : (
                   <Button
                     onClick={() => {
-                      setUserInput(userSearchInput)
+                      setUserInput(userSearchInput.trim())
                     }}
                     variant="contained"
                     aria-label="Add"