This is a technical guide to saving and checking records. It does not determine whether a particular record will be admitted or accepted in a legal matter. Ask the professional handling your case about submission requirements.
- Keep the URL, capture time and conditions with the image and HTML.
- Open the result and check that the content you need was captured.
- Use a hash to compare a file with a trusted reference.
- A timestamp does not establish the truth of a claim or the identity of its publisher.
Keep the URL, capture conditions and original files alongside a screenshot. A hash helps compare files; an external timestamp supports a claim about when data existed. Neither establishes the truth of the page or guarantees a legal outcome.
A screenshot records wording and layout, but an image alone may leave its URL or capture context unclear. Keeping those details with the original files makes a record easier to inspect later.
Different formats retain different information. This guide explains how images, original files and capture context work together when you need to inspect a record later.
Keep the context with the files
A saved image or HTML file may omit content that you cannot retrieve later. Inspect both the relevant passage and its surrounding context. Keep a page’s displayed publication date separate from your capture time.
| Record | What to inspect |
|---|---|
| URL, capture time and time zone | Which page was recorded, and when |
| Screenshot | The captured wording and appearance |
| Saved HTML | Preserved text, links and page structure |
| Capture conditions and errors | Whether a login screen or restriction replaced the content |
| Original files and notes | Which copies were annotated or cropped |
A SHA-256 hash helps compare files
SHA-256 calculates a digest from data. Comparing a recalculated value with a trusted reference helps check whether the file is the same. A hash alone does not identify the publisher, establish the truth of the text or supply a capture time.
Someone can replace a file and calculate a new hash for it. How and when the reference value was recorded therefore matters.
shasum -a 256 saved-page.htmlNeed private management and downloadable records?
Guest saves are also eligible for external RFC 3161 timestamp processing. Check its status in the archive details. Pro adds evidence-pack ZIP exports, private archives, URL monitoring and diff checks.
- Check timestamp status on Guest saves too
- Pro unlocks the evidence pack download for past Guest saves too
- Private archives, URL monitoring, diff checks, and archive management
An external timestamp serves a different role
RFC 3161 specifies requests containing a data hash and signed responses containing a time. A verified response supports a claim that the data existed by that time.
It is different from a displayed capture date. The timestamp authority does not authenticate the original webpage, its claims or its publisher. Keep the covered files, response and certificates needed for verification.
Check the result immediately after saving
Note the URL, capture time, time zone, access conditions and actions you performed.
Check wording, dates and context. Treat an AI summary as a reading aid and verify it against the original.
Annotate or crop a separate copy. Store the originals with their hashes and capture notes.
Distinguish pending, failed and completed processing. Requesting a timestamp is different from receiving a response that can be verified.
When using Kiroku records
Inspect the saved result and timestamp status in the archive details. Pro offers private archives, version comparisons and evidence-pack exports; see its pricing page for conditions.
Source-site logins or access restrictions can prevent a useful capture. Whatever service you choose, include a step to confirm that the required content was saved.
Summary
Keep the URL, capture conditions and original files alongside a screenshot. A hash helps compare files; an external timestamp supports a claim about when data existed. Neither establishes the truth of the page or guarantees a legal outcome.
FAQ
Are screenshots inadmissible as evidence?
The format alone does not answer that question. This guide does not determine legal admissibility; it explains how to retain the URL, capture context and original files alongside an image.
Does a hash prove that the page is truthful?
No. It helps compare a file with a trusted reference. The truth of its claims and the publisher’s identity require separate assessment.
Can I keep only the AI summary?
Keep and inspect the saved HTML and images as well. A summary may omit details or misinterpret the source.
Sources
- NIST FIPS 180-4 — Secure Hash Standardhttps://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/fips/180-4/upd1/final
- IETF RFC 3161 — Time-Stamp Protocolhttps://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc3161/
- Kiroku — captured examples and test scopehttps://kiroku.today/en/monitoring#samples
Check the records and conditions before choosing a plan
If you need private management, version comparisons or evidence-pack exports, review Pro’s features and capture limits.
Guest saves are free and public. Pro adds private management, ongoing monitoring and evidence-pack exports.