Advertisement
Guide
About the Hash Generator
A cryptographic hash function takes any input — a word, a document, a multi-gigabyte file — and produces a fixed-length “fingerprint” called a digest. The same input always produces the same digest, but even a one-character change produces a completely different result, and you cannot work backwards from the digest to the original input. That makes hashes ideal for verifying integrity (has this file changed?) and for checksums.
This tool computes SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512 digests using your browser's native Web Crypto API, so it's fast and nothing you hash is ever uploaded. You can hash typed text or drop in a file.
Which algorithm should I use?
For anything security-related, use SHA-256or stronger — it's the modern default and is used everywhere from TLS certificates to Bitcoin. SHA-512 produces a longer digest and can be faster on 64-bit hardware. SHA-1 is included for compatibility with legacy systems (like older Git object IDs) but is cryptographically broken and should not be used for new security purposes. Note that MD5 is intentionally not offered — it is thoroughly broken.
Hashing is one-way — it is not encryption
You can't “decrypt” a hash back into the original data, because hashing throws information away by design. This is exactly why password databases store hashes rather than plain passwords. If you need to protect data so it can be recovered later, you want encryption (such as AES), not hashing.
How to use it
- 1Type or paste text, or drag-and-drop a file.
- 2Pick the hash algorithm (SHA-256 is a safe default).
- 3Choose hex or Base64 output.
- 4Copy the digest — or compare it against a published checksum to verify a download.
Frequently asked questions
What can I use a hash for?
Common uses are verifying that a downloaded file was not corrupted or tampered with (by comparing checksums), deduplicating data, and building integrity checks. Combined with a salt, hashes also underpin password storage.
Why is MD5 not available?
MD5 is cryptographically broken — practical collision attacks exist, meaning two different inputs can produce the same digest. It should not be used for anything security-sensitive, so this tool offers SHA algorithms instead.
Can two different files ever have the same hash?
In theory yes (a collision), but for SHA-256 and above the odds are astronomically small and no practical collision is known. That is why matching hashes are treated as strong evidence that two files are identical.
Does hashing a large file upload it anywhere?
No. The file is read and hashed locally in your browser via the Web Crypto API. Nothing leaves your device.
What is the difference between hex and Base64 output?
They are just two encodings of the same digest bytes. Hex is longer but ubiquitous for checksums; Base64 is more compact and common in tokens and HTTP headers.