Answer: file dates
How to see when a file was createdYour computer shows a date, but it is easy to change and not proof
TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes.
The file stays on your device. Your browser makes a digital fingerprint of the file. TimeBinder records the fingerprint and the time, not the file.
Short answer
Check the file’s properties: Get Info on a Mac, Properties on Windows, or the stat command in a Linux terminal. These dates change when files are copied or edited and can be set by hand, so they are clues, not proof of when a file was made. A TimeBind records a time you can check.
Where to look, and why it can mislead
On Windows, right-click the file, choose Properties and look at Created, Modified and Accessed. On a Mac, select the file and press Cmd+I (Get Info) to see Created and Modified. In a Linux terminal, stat filename shows access, modify and change times, and on some file systems a birth time. Documents such as PDFs and Office files may also hold their own created and modified fields in their properties.
Be careful what these mean. Copying a file to a new drive or downloading it often sets a new “created” date. Editing, syncing and some backup tools change the modified date. Anyone can also change these values with a command or a small tool. They are file system timestamps, kept by your own computer, with nobody else vouching for them. Our file date metadata inspector shows what a file reports; it cannot tell whether the values are true.
For a comparison of options, see independent timestamp vs traditional evidence of a file date.
A date someone else can check
If you need a date that does not rest on your own computer’s clock, date the exact file with a TimeBind. It records a SHA-256 fingerprint and a time, anchored to Bitcoin. The fingerprint is made in your browser and the file is not uploaded. It shows the file existed no later than the recorded time and still matches.
It does not show when the file was first created, who created it, or that the content is accurate, only that it existed by that time. It is not legal registration.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. An ASAP TimeBind is US$15.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my file show a new created date after copying?
Many systems treat a copy as a new file and set a new created date. The original date may survive only in the original file or inside the document’s own properties.
Can file creation dates be faked?
Yes. File system dates can be changed with a command or a small tool, so they are clues rather than proof.
Is the modified date the same as the created date?
No. Created is usually when the file appeared on that device, modified is when it was last changed. Neither is a reliable record of when the work was made.
Does a TimeBind show when a file was created?
No. It shows the exact file existed no later than the recorded time and still matches. It cannot show when it was first made.
Sources
- TimeBinder, File date metadata inspector.
- TimeBinder, Glossary: file system timestamps.
Related guides and tools
- File date metadata inspectorSee the dates a file reports
- Independent timestamp vs traditional evidenceHow a third-party time differs from file dates
- How to tell if a file has been changedCompare with a trusted original
- How to prove a document existed on a dateDate the exact file
- Glossary: file system timestampsDates kept by your own device
- All answersShort answers to common file-proof questions
Record a fingerprint of the file you rely on
Add a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes: a dated, checkable record of the exact file you hold.
- Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
- Add your files. They stay on your computer.
- Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. See pricing.
Related glossary entries: ISO 8601 date format and clock skew.