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How to timestamp creative work before publishing
Step-by-step guide: hash your design, photo, or writing on-device, get a public certificate ID, and keep proof the file existed before it goes public. $4.99 buy-one-get-one, free verify forever.
Creative work often leaves your control the moment you hit send: a design export to a client, a pitch deck to an investor, a listing photo to a marketplace, a draft to a collaborator. Once it's out, someone can claim they had it first, or a near-copy appears without credit. A timestamp won't stop copying, but it leaves a dated, verifiable record that your exact file existed before you shared it.
What a timestamp actually records
IdeaProofNow computes a SHA-256 fingerprint of the file bytes in your browser (the original is not uploaded). The fingerprint, UTC time, and a public certificate ID are stored. Each day's fingerprints are folded into a Merkle root and optionally anchored in Bitcoin via OpenTimestamps. Anyone with the ID can look up the record and recompute the hash on the same file.
- It records: these exact bytes existed by this UTC time.
- It does not prove: you are the author, the work is legally original, or that copying will stop.
- It is not: copyright registration, a notary act, or legal advice.
Step-by-step: timestamp before you publish
- 1. Prepare the final export — PSD, PNG, PDF, ZIP, or any file you will actually send or post.
- 2. Open the IdeaProofNow stamp page (sign in or create an account).
- 3. Drop the file. The browser computes SHA-256; nothing is uploaded.
- 4. Confirm the stamp. A certificate ID is issued with UTC time.
- 5. Store the ID with your project notes. Share it in your post caption or keep it for later.
- 6. Keep the byte-identical original. One changed pixel breaks the match.
When someone questions the timeline
Point them to the free verify page. They can enter the certificate ID to see the recorded time and fingerprint. If you share the same file, they can recompute SHA-256 and confirm the bytes match. This is not a lawsuit — it's a technical check anyone can run.
Price and plans
Pay-per-file is $4.99 buy-one-get-one: you pay once and receive two stamps, no subscription. Creator ($9/month, 20 stamps) and Studio ($39/month, 100 stamps) cover higher volume. Looking up an existing certificate is free forever and needs no login.
FAQ
Does the timestamp prove I created the work?
No. It proves those exact bytes existed by that UTC time. Pair it with contracts, messages, and process files to show authorship.
What if I edit the file after stamping?
One changed byte produces a different fingerprint. Stamp the exact version you will publish or deliver. If you make changes, stamp again.
Is this the same as copyright registration?
No. Copyright registration is a government process with its own fees and benefits. A timestamp is faster, cheaper technical evidence that a specific file existed. Use both when appropriate.
Can someone else stamp my file and claim it?
Anyone can stamp any file. The timestamp shows when they had it, not that they created it. Your earlier timestamp plus process evidence distinguishes originator from copier.
How long does verification stay available?
The verify page is free forever. The operations log is public. Optional Bitcoin anchors can be checked with OpenTimestamps tools even if our UI is offline.
Related
Ready to timestamp
Hashing is free. A dated certificate is $4.99.
Buy one file, get two stamps. Credits do not expire. Verification stays free.