Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/verify-photo-downloads-with-a-hash-manifest/

# Verify Photo Downloads with a SHA-256 Manifest

Compare downloaded bytes with a trusted manifest and distinguish integrity from identity or ownership.

Privacy & verification2 min readUpdated 16 October 2026

## Try it on your own photo

Repair a copy of your photo, then compare faces and details with the original.

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Quick answer

## The short version

A hash manifest records the expected digest of each file at a particular stage. Compare a later copy with that record to detect byte changes. The method is useful only when the manifest itself is trusted and its relationship to the intended files is clear.

## Define the job before editing

A hash manifest records the expected digest of each file at a particular stage. Compare a later copy with that record to detect byte changes. The method is useful only when the manifest itself is trusted and its relationship to the intended files is clear.

## Create the record at a stable point

Finish the approved export first, then calculate SHA-256 and save the manifest with a date and batch identifier. Keep an independent copy of that record. After transfer, hash the downloaded files and compare both the filenames and digests, accounting for any intentional renaming.

## Make the decision from evidence

A matching digest means the compared bytes match the recorded bytes; it does not establish who created the image, whether its story is true or whether it is the right file for the project. Use descriptive context and source review alongside integrity checks.

## A worked planning example

Example: A delivery contains twelve approved PNGs. After a cloud download, eleven hashes match and one differs. Investigate whether that file was recompressed or replaced before accepting the delivery as the approved set.

## A practical checklist

1. Hash the approved files after export.
2. Keep a trusted manifest copy.
3. Compare hashes after transfer.
4. Investigate mismatches before replacing anything.

## Keep a traceable result

Keep the source file, the working copy and the delivery copy as separate items. Record the input and the changes you actually made so another person can understand the result later. These workflow examples are planning examples, not documented customer outcomes or proof of a successful restoration.

## FAQs

Can a hash prove a photograph is authentic?

It can check continuity of bytes against a trusted prior record. It cannot independently establish the truth of a scene or the rights to use it.

Should I replace my original with the edited copy?

Keep the source unchanged and save a separate working or sharing copy. An export, edit or AI interpretation can omit information that remains useful in the source.

## Sources

Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article.

- MDN Web Docs: [SHA-256 with SubtleCrypto.digest](<https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/SubtleCrypto/digest>)

## Related

- [Open the related free tool](<https://restorebunny.com/tools/image-hash-checker/>)
- [Cropping a Photo Does Not Necessarily Remove Metadata](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/cropping-does-not-remove-photo-metadata/>)
- [Plan Sharing Copies for Photos of Living Relatives](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/share-photos-of-living-relatives/>)
- [Browse photo guides](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/>)
- [Free image tools](<https://restorebunny.com/tools/>)

## Ready to restore your photos?

Upload an image, choose your settings, and preview results with a before/after slider.

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