Timestamp the render set you are about to share, and the scene or model it came from, before it leaves your practice. TimeBinder® makes a fingerprint of each file in your browser and the files stay on your device. The certificate shows that those exact files existed no later than a recorded time. It does not show who created the images, who owns them, or that nobody else made something similar. Free to start. For the wider design workflow, see timestamping for designers and architects.
Table of Contents
Why renders deserve their own routine
Visualisations are often the first thing a client, developer, planning officer or competition jury sees. They are shared as JPEGs or PDFs, posted on social media, dropped into presentations and passed on. Once they are out, you do not control where they go. They also change fast: a new camera angle, a different material, a revised massing. A dated record of each shared set helps when someone later asks which version existed when.
What to freeze before you share
| File | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The final images (PNG, JPG, TIFF or the PDF board) | These are the files people hold. Their fingerprints are what a certificate can later match |
| The scene or model export (for example Revit, SketchUp, Rhino or 3ds Max exports, or an IFC or FBX) | Shows the underlying design that the images came from |
| Render settings, camera and material notes | A short text or PDF; helps you recreate or explain a view |
| Presentation deck or board layout | The context the images were shown in |
Put them in one zip or up to 10 files per TimeBind. Keep that exact zip.
The routine
- Finish the set. Export the final images and the scene export. Do not touch those files again.
- Optional. Check hashes with the free SHA-256 hash checker.
- Timestamp the set. Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required.
- Save the Proof of Time Certificate in the same folder as the render set.
- Then share. Send, post or present.
- Each new round is a new set. Timestamp again before it goes out. See what to timestamp at each client revision round.
Social media and low-resolution copies
A platform will re-compress what you post, so the posted copy will not match your original fingerprint. That is expected. The record is for your original files, which you keep. If you need to show that a posted image came from your original, you will need your original file, the certificate, and the work files. Platform timestamps help for what was posted, and a TimeBind helps for what you held beforehand. The two are different records. See does posting online prove you made it first?.
Competitions and anonymous packs
Competitions often ask for anonymous boards. Timestamp the exact anonymous pack you submit, not a version with your name on it. The certificate holds fingerprints and lists each file’s name and size, so give an anonymous pack neutral file names and leave your name out of the Reference and Details fields. See design competition entries.
What a TimeBind shows, and what it doesn’t
A TimeBind shows that this exact file existed no later than the recorded time and still matches its fingerprint. It does not show authorship, ownership or copyright, that a render was your own work, or any court outcome. For the ownership side, see who owns architectural drawings. To keep your own background material separate from client work, see how to record your background IP before a client contract. This is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Should I timestamp every draft render?
No. Timestamp the sets that leave your practice, such as to a client, a developer, a jury or a public post.
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Do I timestamp the image or the scene file?
Both if you can. The image is what people hold. The scene or model export shows what it came from.
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Will a TimeBind survive if the client crops or compresses my image?
A changed file has a different fingerprint, so it will not match. The certificate matches your original. Keep your original files.
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Can I show the certificate without sharing the images?
Yes. The certificate lists fingerprints, file names and sizes, not the images themselves. Share the files only when you choose to.
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What does it cost?
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, from US$5; ASAP is US$15. See plans and pricing
Timestamp your next render set free
Show that this exact file existed no later than a recorded time. Files stay on your device. Get a checkable Proof of Time Certificate. Free to start. Open TimeBinder
Last fact-checked: 10 November 2026.
