To show when a file existed, make a fingerprint (a SHA-256 hash) of the exact file, record it somewhere independent such as the Bitcoin blockchain, and keep the original and the proof together. That shows the file existed in that exact form no later than the recorded time. It doesn’t show who made it, who owns it, or that its contents are true. This guide groups our pages by who you are and what you need to answer, from songwriters and designers to inventors and lawyers.
Table of Contents
- Start here: the basics
- Songwriters and producers
- Writers and authors
- Artists, photographers and creators
- Designers and architects
- Inventors and trade secrets
- Developers
- Lawyers and evidence
- Copyright, by country
- Compare the alternatives
- What every timestamp can and can’t show
- Frequently Asked Questions
Start here: the basics
- How blockchain timestamping works at TimeBinder
- How to timestamp a file on Windows or Mac
- How long does a Bitcoin timestamp take?
- How to prove a file existed before a certain date: every method compared
- What is proof of existence?
- How to check a file still matches its fingerprint
- Free SHA-256 hash checker
- Why a file’s dates can’t be trusted on their own
Songwriters and producers
- Timestamp music files
- Does registering a song with ASCAP or BMI prove you wrote it?
- Accused of copying a song? Evidence of independent creation
- Timestamp a podcast episode before you publish
- How to protect your music before sending it
- Timestamp beats before leasing
- Sync licensing pitch: what to timestamp
- Lyric theft: what to timestamp
- Co-writing session records and split sheets
- Session musician stems before sending
- Free split sheet generator
Writers and authors
- Timestamp every draft
- Show your writing history, not AI
- Working drafts and timestamps vs AI detectors
- Disclosing AI on a US copyright application
- Preregistration vs a timestamp
- Draft History tool
Artists, photographers and creators
- How artists show when they made something
- Photo contest or stock submission evidence
- Illustrators: timestamp portfolio before posting
- Tattoo or commission art: timestamp before sending
- Does posting online prove you made it first?
- NFT vs timestamp: does an NFT prove you made the art?
- How to prove a photo is not AI
- Content Credentials (C2PA) vs a timestamp
Designers and architects
- Timestamping for designers and architects
- Prove a design existed before a UK or EU filing
- Protect your design before sending it to a client
- Timestamp vs electronic signature
- Etsy or POD copies of your design
- Who owns architectural drawings?
- Design competition entry: timestamp before you submit
- Timestamp Revit or BIM versions before you issue
- Planning or DA submission drawings: timestamp before you lodge
- Client revision rounds: what architects should timestamp at each stage
- How to present a timestamp certificate to a tender panel or client
- Government tender submissions: records to keep in the UK, EU, US and Australia
Inventors and trade secrets
- Timestamping invention records
- Show when you had an invention
- Prior user rights records
- UK and EU trade mark prior-use evidence
- Provisional patent vs a timestamp
- Trade secret records timestamping
- NDA and a timestamp before disclosure
- Crowdfunding launch: timestamp before you go live
Developers
- Source code timestamping
- Are Git commit dates proof of when code existed?
- How to prove your source code existed before a date
- Timestamp video game assets before sharing
- Timestamp code before you open-source it
- Freelance code delivery: timestamp before payment
Lawyers and evidence
- Is a blockchain timestamp admissible in court?
- Evidence explainer for lawyers
- An OpenTimestamps .ots file as evidence: what to give a lawyer
- How to timestamp a contract version
- Timestamping for law firms
- Bitcoin timestamp proof for a file
Copyright, by country
- Copyright without registration: what evidence helps
- EU copyright without registration
- Copyright registration vs a timestamp
- Germany, UK, Ireland, USA, Australia
Compare the alternatives
- Compare ways to prove when a file existed
- TimeBinder vs OpenTimestamps
- Best file timestamping services
- Emailing yourself vs a blockchain timestamp
What every timestamp can and can’t show
A timestamp shows an exact file existed no later than a time. It doesn’t show authorship, ownership or copyright, and it isn’t legal advice. TimeBinder® makes the fingerprint in your browser, and the file stays on your device. Posts like these set out the limits for each field.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
What does a timestamp prove?
That a file existed in that exact form at or before the recorded time. It doesn’t prove who made it or who owns it.
-
Do I need to register my work as well?
Rules differ by country. Our country pages explain what registration does and doesn’t do, and a lawyer can advise on your situation.
-
How much does it cost?
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15.
-
Which TimeBind should I pick?
Pooled is cheapest and usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, often sooner. ASAP is broadcast straight away, for when the date matters.
-
Can I use TimeBinder for several files at once?
Yes. One TimeBind can hold up to 10 files.
Start with your first file, free
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. See plans and pricing
