What a Hash Value Does and Does Not Tell You
A hash value is like a fingerprint of a file. This article spells out plainly what a hash can and cannot tell you.
Not legal advice. This page is general information. Whether a court admits or relies on a chat is for the court; convokeep does not promise admission or any outcome. Ask a qualified lawyer about your case.
What does a hash value tell you?
SHA-256 is a hash function that computes a 256-bit value from a file. The same file always gives the same value, and changing even one character changes it. So if the value of the file you hold later matches a value recorded earlier, the file is unchanged since that value was recorded.
What does it not tell you?
- That no messages were deleted or edited before the export.
- That the conversation is genuine or complete.
- Who sent a message or when.
- That a court will accept it.
What about messages I deleted before exporting?
The hash is calculated on the file you exported. Messages that were gone before then cannot be detected from the hash.
What goes into a convokeep PDF?
The integrity page of a Record PDF contains the SHA-256 of the source file and of the transcript data. The PDF's own hash cannot be placed inside the PDF, so it comes in a separate .sha256.txt file.
How do I check later?
Drag the file onto the hash checker and it calculates the value in your browser and compares it. The file is not uploaded.
Privacy
Reading the file, building the PDF and calculating hashes all happen in your browser. No chat or attachment is uploaded and there is no account. See the privacy policy and the disclaimer.
Related guides
- Keeping LINE chats as evidence
- Are LINE screenshots usable as evidence?
- How to number exhibits (kogo-sho)
- How to save LINE chats
Ready to try it?
Drop your exported .txt file on the convokeep app for a free preview. The first 3 pages are free (watermarked, no integrity page); saving the full PDF is a one-time paid feature. No chat or attachment is uploaded: the file is read in your browser. To check later that a file is unchanged, use the hash checker.
This document was generated locally in the user's browser; no content was uploaded.