Turn text-message screenshots into a court exhibit

A judge, clerk or opposing counsel does not want a phone handed across the room, and they do not want forty loose image files on a memory stick. They want one document they can hold, page through and cite by page number. That is the whole job of an exhibit, and it is a formatting job, not a legal one.

ThreadProof takes the screenshots already on your phone and lays them out as a single PDF: a cover page that names the parties and the platform, the screenshots in the order they happened, one per page or stitched into a continuous thread, then a declaration page, a redaction log and a SHA-256 hash appendix. Every step runs in your browser. The images are never uploaded.

Walkthrough

Everything ThreadProof does, in one pass

1. Add your screenshots

Pick the screenshots from your photos. They stay on this device.

Do this step

Scene 1 of 6: Add your screenshots. Pick the screenshots from your photos. They stay on this device.

Try it with a sample →Choose screenshots · 10-second scene hold

Start with one screenshot. It stays on your device and you will see the first page in seconds.

Build my exhibit free

What a usable exhibit contains

Most filing problems come from missing furniture rather than missing messages. A cover page states the exhibit label, the case name or number, who the messages are between, the platform, the device and the date range. A declaration page states in plain words that the pages are true and accurate screenshots captured by you, unaltered apart from the listed redactions. Continuous page numbering means a page can be cited without ambiguity.

The redaction log matters more than people expect. If you black out a third party's phone number or a child's name, saying so in a table removes any suggestion that something was quietly removed. ThreadProof writes that table for you from the boxes you drew, with a label on each one.

  • Cover page: label, parties, platform, device, date range
  • The screenshots, in chronological order, numbered continuously
  • Declaration page in the first person
  • Redaction log listing every box and its reason
  • SHA-256 appendix listing the hash of each original file

Order, dates and gaps

Chronological order is the single most useful thing you can do. Screenshots exported from a phone are usually named in capture order, so ThreadProof sorts them naturally on import and lets you drag anything that lands out of place. If a thread has a gap because you deleted messages or the conversation moved to a call, say so in the declaration rather than hiding it. Explained gaps are ordinary; unexplained ones invite questions.

Screenshots that include the date and time header are worth more than cropped bubbles. If your timestamps are missing, capture the thread again with the timestamp row visible, or note in the declaration how the ordering was established.

Redaction that actually removes the pixels

Drawing a black rectangle in a PDF viewer often leaves the image underneath intact. ThreadProof burns redactions into the raster before the page is written, so the covered pixels are gone from the exported file. There is no layer to peel back and nothing to select and copy. That is also why redactions cannot be undone after export: keep the original screenshots.

File size and delivery

Filing portals and mail servers reject large files quietly. The Court profile targets a file under 10 MB at print-legible quality; the Email profile compresses further to survive a 25 MB attachment cap. Both keep the text sharp because they downscale rather than blur.

ThreadProof formats documents. It is not a law firm, it does not give legal advice, and it makes no representation about how any court, clerk or party will treat a document you produce. Check your local rules for exhibit labelling, page limits and filing format before you file.

Questions people ask

Do I need a computer?
No. The builder runs in a mobile browser. Most people import from the phone camera roll, export, and save the PDF to Files or Drive.
Should I use one screenshot per page or stitch them?
One screenshot per page is the most conservative and the easiest to explain. Stitching joins overlapping captures into a continuous thread, which reads better for long conversations.
Are my screenshots uploaded?
No. Import, stitching, redaction, hashing and PDF generation all happen in your browser. The server stores only your email and subscription status.
What is the hash appendix for?
It lists a SHA-256 fingerprint of each original file. If someone later asks whether the file you kept is the same one you exported, the fingerprints can be compared.
What does it cost and can I cancel?
Personal is $9 per month or $79 per year. A one-time Case Pass is $24 for 90 days. Professional is $49 per month or $439 per year. Cancel anytime from your Account page in two taps; access continues to the end of the period you paid for. Every charge has a 14-day money-back policy: see the policy at /refunds.

Related guides

  • How to print text messages for court

    How to print text messages for court in 2026: screenshot the thread on your phone, keep dates visible, and build one numbered PDF exhibit. Nothing is uploaded.

  • How to present text messages in court

    How to present text messages in court: bring one numbered PDF exhibit per conversation, copies for everyone, and a short index so any message can be found by page number.

  • How to write a declaration describing text message evidence

    A declaration describing text message screenshots covers who you are, whose phone it is, how and when you captured it, and what you redacted. Template language included.

  • What is an exhibit cover page?

    An exhibit cover page names the document before anyone reads it: matter, parties, platform, date range, page count, and exhibit label. Here is the full checklist.

ThreadProof formats documents. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.

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