Guide
Public proof pages
A public proof page is a live URL for one sealed entry. Anyone with the link can open the certificate—no DataSeal account required—until you revoke it.
See an exampleWhat a proof page looks like
From My proofs (or the API), you create a share with a unique slug. Recipients open a URL like:
Live link
Public certificate preview
https://dataseal.net/proof/bsIzSB7NumuqAZ6fX2rCO2g5l3R3UzyZ
Certificate of Existence
Sealed- Open in any browser — no account
- Optional payload download under your control
Create, share, revoke
Create share
From My proofs, open an entry and create a public proof page.
Copy & send
Share the unique URL by email, ticket, or exhibit — no login required for recipients.
Revoke anytime
Turn off live access without deleting your proof or the blockchain anchor.
Revoking does not delete your dashboard entry or invalidate the blockchain anchor. After revoke, you can create a new share with a new URL if you need to publish again.
Optional controls
When you create a share, these switches let you publish a minimal certificate first, then broaden what visitors can fetch if a review needs the archived bytes.
Allow payload download
OptionalPublic: readable file. Encrypted: ciphertext only. Hash: not available.
Show metadata
OptionalInclude description, tags, and custom provenance fields on the live page.
Modes on a live page
Hash
Certificate + fingerprint only. Visitors need the original bytes to re-hash.
Encrypted
Public certificate; content stays locked unless you share the key + enable download.
Public
Certificate plus optional readable download while the share is active.
Read the proof modes guide for a deeper comparison.
How validation works
A public proof page is built for independent checks. Visitors do not need a DataSeal account—they use the certificate fields (and their own copy of the bytes) to confirm what was sealed and that it was anchored on-chain.
Independent verification
Four layers you can check on the live page
Match the fingerprint
Hash the original file or text with SHA-256 and compare it to the clone-proof fingerprint on the page. Exact match = same bytes.
Pass: Hashes match exactly
Confirm the on-chain anchor
The certificate lists a transaction that embeds that fingerprint. Decode the tx hex to see the fingerprint match inside the OP_RETURN output.
Pass: Transaction carries the fingerprint
Check blockchain confirmation
When status is Confirmed, the anchor sits in a specific block (txid, block hash, height, time)—often checkable on a public explorer too.
Pass: Confirmed in a known block
Verify Merkle inclusion
When the Merkle proof is Ready, the page shows the path from your anchor transaction up to the block—proving inclusion, not just a listed id.
Pass: Proof path reaches the block Merkle root
Hash mode
Provide the same text or file you believe was sealed. Hash it locally (on-page verifier or SHA-256 tool). If your result matches the certificate fingerprint, you have proven those exact bytes were timestamped—nothing sensitive is stored on the page.
Public mode
Same idea: feed in the candidate text or file and compare hashes. A match proves the fingerprint belongs to that exact content. If payload download is enabled, visitors can also fetch the archived original and hash it for the same check.
Encrypted mode
After decrypting with the owner's key (and optional ciphertext download), hash the recovered plaintext. A match to the certificate fingerprint proves those exact bytes—not a similar draft—were what was sealed.
Full anchoring checks need a Confirmed chain status; Merkle inclusion needs proof status Ready. For a complete walkthrough, see Verify a proof yourself.
What a proof page is not
- It is not a substitute for keeping your own copies of important files—especially in Hash mode.
- It is not permanent publication by default: revoke removes live access (cached copies someone already saved are outside DataSeal.net's control).
- It is not the only way to share evidence—you can also download a portable proof package for offline custody, including a copy of any provenance metadata you added.