Proof.show lets anyone prove a photo is genuine — not stolen, not edited, not recycled. Here's exactly how it works, with real examples of when and why people use it.
Anyone can download a photo from Google Images, screenshot someone else's profile, or use AI to generate a fake face. Dates and locations on photos can be changed in seconds with free apps. Sending a photo over WhatsApp or iMessage removes all the original file information anyway.
So how do you actually know a photo is real? Here's how the old methods compare:
| Method | What you're actually checking | Can be faked? | Confirms when it was taken? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checking a photo's date | The date saved in the file | ✗ Anyone can change this | ✗ No |
| Reverse image search | Whether the photo exists online | ✗ Doesn't detect edits | ✗ No |
| Screenshot with timestamp | What your phone clock said | ✗ Clocks can be set to anything | ✗ No |
| Proof Code | The actual photo, sealed at capture | ✓ Any change breaks the proof | ✓ Yes, to the second |
Visit proof.show/capture on any phone or computer. No app download required. Allow camera access when prompted — that's all you need to get started.
Tap the shutter button. The moment the photo is taken, it is sealed — locked to that exact moment in time, location, and device. You cannot upload a photo from your camera roll or use an AI-generated image.
Within seconds, you receive a Proof Code — a short unique identifier like a serial number. It's permanently linked to that specific photo, that specific moment, that specific place.
If the photo is ever changed — even slightly — this code stops working. It's proof of the original.
Post the photo to any marketplace, app, or platform. Include the Proof Code in the caption, description, or message — like a delivery tracking number for authenticity.
The other person visits proof.show/v and types in the code. They instantly see when and where the photo was taken, and whether it has been changed since it was sealed.
Scammers reuse photos of products they don't own. Verified seller photos prove the item exists in their possession right now — not borrowed from Google Images or taken from another listing.
→ Common marketplace photo scamsCatfishing uses stolen profile photos. A Proof Code proves the person you're talking to took this photo today, from their device — not years ago by someone else.
→ Catfishing detection guideResume photos and professional headshots can be stolen from LinkedIn. A Proof Code on a submitted photo confirms it was taken by the applicant in question, not lifted from another professional's profile.
Journalists and content creators use Proof Codes to establish when and where images were taken, adding verifiable provenance metadata that editors and publishers can independently confirm.
Rental scams use glamour photos of properties the lister doesn't own. Proof Codes on listing photos prove the photo was taken by the advertiser, tied to their device and the moment of capture.
Verifiable timestamps and cryptographic integrity make Proof Codes useful as supporting evidence in disputes, insurance claims, and legal documentation where photo authenticity is contested.
A Proof Code is a unique 8-character code — like a serial number — that is permanently linked to your photo. It's generated the moment you take the photo and tied to the exact time, location, and device. Anyone can enter the code at proof.show/v to instantly confirm whether a photo is genuine.
No. The Proof Code is linked to a unique fingerprint of your photo calculated at the moment of capture. If anyone changes the photo even slightly — cropping it, adjusting brightness, adding a filter — the fingerprint no longer matches, and verification will show it has been altered.
No. Your photo stays on your device. Proof.show only saves the proof record — the unique fingerprint, the time it was taken, and the location — not the actual image file. This keeps your photos private.
Go to proof.show/v and enter the 8-character Proof Code. The system instantly tells you when and where the photo was taken and whether it has been changed since it was sealed.
Anyone who needs to prove a photo is real and unedited. Common uses include marketplace sellers proving product photos are genuine, people on dating apps proving their profile photo is current, landlords and renters documenting property condition, and journalists establishing when a photo was taken.
Reverse image search only tells you if a photo has appeared somewhere online before. It can't tell you when it was taken, whether it's been edited, or whether it genuinely belongs to the person showing it to you. Proof.show verifies the actual photo itself — not just whether it exists online.
No — photos must be taken live through the Proof.show camera. This is intentional: it prevents people from sealing photos that were taken earlier, edited, or downloaded from somewhere else.
No account required for basic verification. Works on iOS, Android, and any modern browser. Free to use.