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Inscribe docs

Inscribe text

Who this is for. Anyone wanting a line of text, a message, or a small JSON document permanently on Bitcoin.

Goal. Text inscribed at an address you control, findable by its content afterwards.

Prerequisites

Section titled “Prerequisites”
RequirementDetail
Chain and networkBitcoin mainnet
WorkspaceInscribe, at /inscribe, the Text sub-tab. This is the tab the workspace opens on
WalletUniverse, UniSat, Xverse, OKX or Wizz
FundsSpendable bitcoin at your payment address. Text is small, so this is usually the cheapest thing you can inscribe
Reversible?No

Where the text can go

Section titled “Where the text can go”
DestinationLimitWhat it is for
OrdinalsNo protocol capThe default. A normal inscription you own, transfer and see in your portfolio
OP_RETURN34,000 bytesA free-form record in an OP_RETURN output, with an optional file
Drops256 bytesA confirmed data artifact with a stable ID and on-chain proof. A deployment must switch it on
ChainBloomIts own flowA contribution to a shared world. A deployment must switch it on

For anything you want to hold, transfer, or see in your wallet, use Ordinals.

Safety considerations

Section titled “Safety considerations”
  • Text is public and permanent. Anyone can read it, forever. Do not inscribe anything you would not publish under your own name.
  • Check spelling before you sign. There is no edit.
  • Fund from an address holding only bitcoin where you can. See asset safety.

Steps

Section titled “Steps”

  1. Open /inscribe.

    It opens on the Text sub-tab. Connect your wallet.

  2. Type or paste your text.

    One line or many. The character count and the resulting size drive the network fee.

  3. Pick the destination.

    Ordinals unless you specifically want one of the others.

  4. Read the preview.

    Check the exact characters, including trailing spaces and line breaks, and check any JSON is valid if you meant it to be.

  5. Set the fee rate.

    Normal is selected and marked Recommended. Text is small, so the network fee is usually a small part of the total. The flat 1,500-satoshi service fee will often be the largest line.

  6. Review the confirmation screen and pay.

    Compare the amount in your wallet against the Total Cost on the confirmation screen.

    Expected wallet screen: one send, to the commit address, for the total. One signature.

  7. Verify.

    When the order reaches Wallet visible, find it in Portfolio. Text inscriptions can also be found by their content in Search Txt, which searches text inscriptions by what they say.

Expected result

Section titled “Expected result”

A text inscription on a 546-satoshi output at your Ordinals address, with a reveal transaction id you can look up on any explorer.

How to verify

Section titled “How to verify”
  1. Portfolio shows it under your wallet.
  2. Search Txt finds it by its content.
  3. Any Bitcoin explorer, using the reveal transaction id, confirms the output at your address independently of Inscribe.

Common failure states

Section titled “Common failure states”
What you seeWhat it meansWhat to do
The text exceeds the destination limitOP_RETURN and Drops have hard capsShorten it, or use Ordinals
Still Awaiting paymentThe payment has not reached the commit addressWait. Do not pay again
Payment below the quoteYou sent less than the totalTop the same address up to the quoted amount
The payment will not confirmFee rate too low for current conditionsFix My Payment or Bump Stuck TX
The hour ran outThe price quote expiredStart a fresh order. If you already paid, see recovery

Recovery route

Section titled “Recovery route”

See recovery routes. An unpaid or partly paid order is not lost, and its signing key is not discarded.

Section titled “Related”