To preserve digital evidence, leave the original as undisturbed as possible, make an appropriate separate copy, document where it came from and every handoff, and store both securely. For files acquired from storage media, a forensic write blocker can reduce the risk of changing the source. For phones and messages, avoid unnecessary interaction and get qualified forensic help when the evidence may be disputed. These steps help protect integrity; they do not prove who created a file or whether a message is true.
What preservation can—and cannot—establish
Digital files and messages can be changed, deleted, or separated from the context that helps explain them. Preservation is about keeping the available data in a usable state and making its handling understandable to someone else. NIST’s Digital Evidence Preservation: Considerations for Evidence Handlers, published September 8, 2022, recommends documenting a digital object’s source and transfers, securing evidence files, and using hashes where appropriate.
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A hash is a calculated value that can help detect whether the data hashed has changed since the value was created. It does not establish authorship, prove that a message is true, or show what happened before the hash was made. A credible record therefore includes both technical checks and a clear account of how the evidence was collected and handled.
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Limit interaction with the original
Do not edit, rename, annotate, re-save, forward, or repeatedly open the original if you can avoid it. Ordinary viewing does not necessarily alter the underlying content, but interaction and device activity can create risk or affect context. Do not delete anything or change settings in an attempt to “clean up” a device.
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Phones are active systems: they may update information during normal operation. NIST’s Guidelines on Mobile Device Forensics (SP 800-101 Rev. 1), published in May 2014, notes that back-to-back full-device acquisitions can produce different hashes on an active device. A difference alone is not proof of deliberate alteration; what changed and how each acquisition was made must be assessed.
Write down the handling history
Start a contemporaneous record, using a consistent time zone and clearly identifying it. Include:
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- The source: device, storage medium, account, or other origin, and who controlled it.
- The observed state when you received or accessed it, including relevant device or account context.
- The date and time, with time zone, of each collection, transfer, or other significant action.
- The person who handled it, what they did, and the method used to capture or copy data.
- Any errors, missing items, interruptions, or known limitations.
Record each later transfer and handler, and keep the notes with the evidence record. NIST’s Evidence Management guidance emphasizes preventing evidence from being compromised, contaminated, or degraded and tracking chain of custody.
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Make a separate copy and check its integrity
- Choose an appropriate capture method. The right method depends on the source and what must be retained. Do not assume that a generic accessory or a routine phone connection can preserve every device, app, or cloud message.
- Keep the original and copy distinct. Preserve the original where possible, make a separate copy early, and label the copy with its source, capture method, and date. Avoid annotating or modifying the evidence copy itself.
- Secure both. Store evidence files and devices securely, restrict access to people who need it, and document any access or transfer.
- Hash acquired files when appropriate. Use a suitable tool to calculate a cryptographic hash of the acquired evidence file. Record the value separately and securely, along with the file, tool or method, and time. Recalculate it later using a consistent method to check whether that hashed file has changed.
NIST IR 8387 recommends storing hash values separately and securely. A matching later hash supports the conclusion that the hashed data has not changed since the earlier calculation; it does not validate the completeness or accuracy of the original capture.
Choose a capture method that fits the evidence
Screenshots, app exports, device backups, provider records, and forensic acquisitions are different forms of capture. They may preserve different metadata, timestamps, participants, surrounding context, and degrees of completeness. State exactly what was captured, how, and what may be missing; do not present one method as interchangeable with another.
| Capture method | What to document | What it does not establish by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshot | Which screen or conversation was shown, the device or account context, capture time, and any visible gaps. | That the full conversation, underlying message data, or all metadata was captured. |
| App export | The app and account context, export method, date, and any stated exclusions or errors. | That the export includes every message, attachment, metadata field, or surrounding context. |
| Device backup | The device, backup method and time, and any limitations or interruptions. | That the backup contains all app data or a complete record of what appeared on screen. |
| Provider record | The provider, record type, account or identifier supplied, acquisition date, and scope of the record received. | That the record contains the full user-visible conversation or proves the identity or intent of a sender. |
| Forensic acquisition | The practitioner, validated method and tools used, source state, acquisition time, and integrity checks. | That a particular acquisition is complete or that its contents are true without assessing method and context. |
This comparison describes questions to document, not a guarantee that every provider or app offers each method or preserves the same fields. Platform behavior changes, so use current official instructions for a specific service and account.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When a write blocker is appropriate
For formal acquisition from computer storage media, a compatible, validated write-blocking workflow can prevent write requests from reaching the original source. NIST SP 800-101 Rev. 1 describes blocking or eliminating write requests as a way for forensic tools to protect original-source integrity and recommends hashing acquired files to check integrity.
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Preserving messages or a phone
- Avoid unnecessary interaction. Do not continue using the device or repeatedly navigate the conversation when that can be avoided. Do not forward messages as a substitute for preserving the source.
- Record what is visible and the context. Note the device or account, observed state, date and time with time zone, and who had access. If a capture is made, document its method and what it shows.
- Keep each capture in its original form. Preserve screenshots, exports, or backups separately from explanatory notes. Record omissions, errors, or uncertainty rather than filling gaps by editing the capture.
- Get specialist help when consequences are significant. A qualified mobile-forensics practitioner can assess an appropriate acquisition method and document its limits. Applicable legal, organizational, or investigative requirements may also dictate how evidence must be handled.
There is no single message-preservation procedure established here for every platform, account type, or jurisdiction. Follow the service’s current official export guidance and applicable local requirements; do not assume a screenshot or export alone will satisfy them.
Common mistakes that weaken a preservation record
- Changing the original by editing, renaming, re-saving, forwarding, or adding annotations when a separate note would do.
- Keeping only a screenshot or export without recording the capture method, source, scope, or possible omissions.
- Storing a hash only beside the file it is meant to check, rather than retaining the value separately and securely.
- Assuming a matching hash proves who created the file, when it was first created, or whether its contents are accurate.
- Treating different full-device hashes from an active phone as automatic proof of tampering.
- Leaving the device or evidence files accessible without recording who handled them or when.
NIST’s Evidence Management page attributes this principle to the National Academy of Sciences’ 2009 report Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward: “In order for qualified forensic science experts to testify competently about forensic evidence, they must first find the evidence in a usable state and properly preserve it.”
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