Use verification-file ownership when you can publish a public file on the monitored website but do not manage its DNS. Uptime Basics checks a fixed file under the hostname in the monitor URL.
Prepare the file
- Open the monitor's Public Status Page settings.
- Open Ownership.
- Choose Verification file.
- The method saves automatically and generates a token and required URL.
- Select Download verification file.
The downloaded text file contains the current token. Changing verification methods can generate a new token, so download a fresh file after switching back to this method.
Publish it at the required path
Upload the file so it is publicly available at the exact URL displayed in the editor. The path is:
/.well-known/uptimebasics-verification.txt
For example:
https://example.com/.well-known/uptimebasics-verification.txt
The response must contain only the generated token, apart from a normal trailing line break. Do not wrap it in HTML or add a label, quotation marks, or comments.
Confirm public access
Before checking verification:
- Open the exact URL in a private browser window.
- Confirm it loads without signing in, accepting cookies, or passing a challenge.
- Confirm the browser shows the current token as plain text.
- Confirm HTTPS presents a trusted certificate for the monitored hostname.
The file must be reachable from the public internet. A local file, private network location, authenticated page, or IP allowlist that excludes Uptime Basics cannot be verified.
Complete verification
Return to Ownership and select Check verification. Uptime Basics fetches the required file and compares its trimmed contents with the current token.
When they match, the ownership status changes to Verified and the verification time is recorded.
If verification remains pending
- Confirm the filename and
.well-knowndirectory are spelled exactly. - Check capitalization; use the lowercase path shown.
- Confirm the response is not a custom 404 page that happens to return HTTP 200.
- Remove HTML, byte-order marks, extra text, and copied quotation marks.
- Purge CDN or hosting caches after replacing an old token.
- Confirm security software is not returning a challenge or block page.
- Download the file again if you changed methods or regenerated settings.
After verification
Keep the file available while using verified status-page features. Do not place passwords, API keys, or account information in it; the verification token is the only required content.