How to check if a file matches its proof

Start with the same file

To check a proof, you need the exact same file that was originally saved. Drop it into the check page, and it will create a fingerprint and compare it to the saved record.

If the file was changed in any way — even just re-saving or converting it — the fingerprint will be different and the check won’t match.

What a match means

If the fingerprints match, the file you checked is identical to the one originally saved. That confirms two things: the file hasn’t been changed, and it already existed at the time shown on the record.

The check page also shows when the proof was created and whether the blockchain confirmation is complete.

• Match — the file is the same as the one on record.
• No match — the file is different, or you’re checking the wrong version.
• A valid proof depends on the file’s contents, not its name.

What do "pending" and "confirmed" mean?

"Pending" means the proof is saved and is waiting for the final blockchain confirmation. This usually takes 1 to 2 hours. "Confirmed" means that final step is done and the record is permanently saved.

Both refer to the same proof — the only difference is whether the last confirmation step has finished. Your proof is valid in both cases; "confirmed" simply means anyone can now check it directly on the blockchain.