One-time Codes

What It Is

A one-time code is three words that work once and last one hour. You paste them into any message. The person who gets the message enters the words at verify.trusted.codes and sees who sent them: your name, your photo, your trust score and some facts about your account.

The code proves that the message is from you. It proves nothing about the message or a file. To prove that a text or a file is genuine, make a seal instead.

You cannot add a note, a label or a message to a code. One-time codes are free on every account.

Make a Code in the App

Open Codes, switch to One-time and tap New code. The three words appear. Copy them and paste them into your message.

Making a code needs a connection. Your list of earlier codes stays readable without one.

You can make 20 codes a day. When the limit is reached the screen says so, and you can make codes again the next day.

Make a Code with One Tap on the Home Screen

A small web page can make codes without opening the app. You set it up once.

1. In the app, open Codes, switch to One-time and tap Create code generator. The app shows three pairing words. They are valid for 10 minutes.
2. On your phone, open otp.trusted.codes in the browser.
3. Tap Share, choose Add to Home Screen and keep Open as Web App switched on. Tap Add.
4. Close the browser and open the new icon.
5. Type the three pairing words and tap Pair.

The app now asks Allow this device?. It shows the device name, the time, the country and a four-digit number. The same number appears on the page on your phone. If the two numbers are equal and you started the pairing, tap Allow. If you did not start it, tap Deny. Pairing words alone never give access. The pairing works only after you tap Allow.

After you allow it, the page says Preparing your device. This takes about 3 minutes. Then it says Ready. From then on, one tap on New code shows three words. Use the copy button for the words, or Copy check link for a link the recipient can open.

You can have up to 5 devices.

Lost Phone or Pair Again

If you lose a phone, remove its device in the app, under One-time. You can also do it in your account on the web, on the One-time codes page. Removing a device also withdraws all of its open codes.

If your phone deletes the data of the page, the page says Pair again. Create a new generator in the app and repeat the steps above.

What the Recipient Sees

The recipient enters the three words at verify.trusted.codes. The page shows who sent them. A code works once, so a second try shows that it was already used. It also stops working after one hour.