How to use the Hash Generator
- Choose Text or File.
- Type text or select a file — all five hashes are calculated at once.
- To check a download, paste the publisher's checksum into the verify box.
What is a hash?
A cryptographic hash function turns any input into a fixed-length fingerprint. The same input always gives the same hash, and changing a single bit changes the hash completely. That makes hashes ideal for checking that a file downloaded correctly or hasn't been tampered with.
Which algorithm should I use?
- SHA-256 — the standard choice for checksums and integrity checks.
- SHA-384 / SHA-512 — longer outputs, used in some security protocols and subresource integrity.
- SHA-1 and MD5 — broken for security (collisions can be manufactured), but still used as quick checksums by older systems. Never use them for passwords or signatures.
Hashing isn't encryption — or password storage
A hash can't be reversed, but fast hashes like SHA-256 are unsuitable for storing passwords because attackers can try billions of guesses per second. Use a dedicated password hash such as Argon2, scrypt or bcrypt.
Example
The SHA-256 of the empty string is e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855; the MD5 of abc is 900150983cd24fb0d6963f7d28e17f72.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't my text hash match another tool?
Check for invisible differences: a trailing newline, Windows (CRLF) vs Unix (LF) line endings, or a different text encoding.
Is my file uploaded?
No. Hashing runs in your browser using the Web Crypto API (SHA family) and a local MD5 implementation.