Prove your online profiles are really yours.
RealHandles ties your online profiles to you through proof signed by your key, anchored in Bitcoin, and recoverable if you ever lose that key. It keeps working even if our service disappears.
How it works
- 1
Generate your key
Created in your browser, never sent to us. Save your Emergency Kit; that is your way back in.
- 2
Verify your accounts
GitHub and Discord in one click. X and TikTok with a post, YouTube and Bluesky with a token in your bio, plus any domain you control.
- 3
Sign your manifest
Your key signs one file listing everything you have proven. Every version is hash-linked and timestamped into Bitcoin, so it cannot be rewritten.
- 4
Share your page
A public page of your real accounts, with independent verification and a full JSON export.
Why it holds up
Your key is the identity. Your proof stays true even if platforms, domains, or RealHandles change.
Nobody can sign as you
Signed by an Ed25519 key generated on your device. It never leaves your device, so not even we can fake you.
Works even if we vanish
One signed file. Host it anywhere, and anyone can check it with standard crypto. No RealHandles required.
Lose the domain, keep the identity
If your domain lapses, the new owner can host a file but cannot sign it with your key. The anchor breaks; your identity does not move.
One page that outs every clone
A signed list you can point anyone to: these accounts are mine, and anything else is not. When somebody is actively pretending to be you, a disavowal names that account on your page, signed, so the denial travels with the proof.
Lose your key, keep your identity
Save your Emergency Kit at signup. It authorizes a new signing key and carries your profile over. We can never do that for you, which is the point.
Nobody can backdate your history
Every version is hash-linked and timestamped into Bitcoin. Anyone can check when it existed, including against us.
Android app
Claim, verify, publish, and rotate keys on your phone. The signing key stays on the device, same as the website.
Check anyone, from your browser
The extension tells you whether the profile you are looking at belongs to a verified identity, and where else that identity lives. The match happens on your device, so the address of the page you are on is never sent anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a RealHandles mobile app?
Yes, for Android. It is coming soon to Google Play. Your signing key stays on your phone, same as on the website.
What is RealHandles?
RealHandles is a free tool that links your real online profiles to one identity and gives you a signed, portable proof that you own them. The proof is signed by a key only you hold, so anyone can verify it independently, and it keeps working even if RealHandles disappears. Browse the directory to see real, proven identities.
How do I prove my social media accounts are really mine?
You verify each account through RealHandles: GitHub and Discord in one click, X and TikTok by posting a token, YouTube and Bluesky with a token in your bio, and any domain you control. Each verified account is signed into your manifest, so your public page shows exactly which accounts are provably yours. Every verification method is documented, including which ones can hold a short handle.
Is RealHandles free?
Yes. Creating an identity, verifying accounts, publishing your profile, and exporting your data are all free. There is no blockchain, wallet, or gas fee.
How is this different from a blue checkmark or verified badge?
A platform badge is controlled by the platform: it can be bought, revoked, or lost, and it does not travel between sites. A RealHandles proof is signed by your own key, covers every platform at once, and can be verified by anyone without trusting RealHandles or any single company. See a full comparison with Keybase and Keyoxide. The signed manifest explains what the proof actually is and how to check one yourself.
Is RealHandles identity verification or KYC?
No. RealHandles proves that a set of online accounts belong to the same person. It never asks who you legally are: no government ID, no legal name, no selfie, no document check, and nothing is stored on a blockchain. A pseudonymous account can be fully verified here, which is the opposite of how KYC works. If you need to confirm somebody is a specific legal person, RealHandles is the wrong tool. What it does prove is on the spec page, and Build with RealHandles covers reading it from your own site.
Does RealHandles replace my Linktree or link-in-bio page?
No, they work together. A link-in-bio page features your key links; RealHandles proves those accounts are actually yours. Link to your RealHandles profile from any bio page to add verifiable proof to the links you already share.
Can someone still impersonate me?
Someone can copy your name or photo anywhere, but they cannot sign with your key. Your RealHandles page is the always-current, signed list of your real accounts, so anything not on it is not you, and anyone can check the proof themselves. Disavowals cover how to name an impersonating account publicly.
What happens if I lose my key?
You get back in with your Emergency Kit. You save it at signup, and it holds a key you designate in advance as authorized to take over your identity. If you lose your signing key, that kit publishes a new one and your profile, history, and verified accounts carry over. There is still no reset link, because a reset link would let us, or anyone who compromised our login, sign as you. Recovery is authorized by a key you chose beforehand, never by us. The protocol page documents exactly how that handoff is verified. Recovery and rotation covers setting this up before you need it, which is the only time it can be set up.
Can you change or backdate my proof?
No, and you do not have to take our word for it. Every version of your proof is kept in a signed, hash-linked chain, so nothing can be quietly rewritten. Each version is also timestamped into the Bitcoin blockchain using OpenTimestamps, which proves it existed at that time independently of RealHandles. Anyone can download the .ots proof from your profile and check it with standard tools, including checking it against us. Reading the history shows how to audit the whole chain, including ours.
Can I change my key without losing my identity?
Yes. You can rotate your signing key whenever you want, and the new key is authorized by the old one, so anyone who trusted the old key can follow the handoff and see it is still you. Your handle, history, and verified accounts stay intact. It is the same mechanism recovery uses, just signed by you rather than by a key you designated in advance. Recovery and rotation walks through a key handoff.
Do I need crypto or a wallet to use RealHandles?
No. RealHandles uses standard cryptography on your device to sign your proof, with no blockchain, wallet, or fees. You can optionally link a crypto wallet as one of your accounts, but it is never required. Your signing key explains what the key is and where it lives.
How can someone verify that my profile is real?
Anyone can open your RealHandles page or paste your signed file into the independent verifier. It checks the signature against the public key inside the proof, so it holds up even if RealHandles is offline. The format is an open protocol and the reference verifier is open source (npm install @realhandles/verify), so other tools and AI agents can verify it too. The signed manifest has the steps, and any JOSE library reaches the same answer.
Featured on
