Hash Generator

Step-by-step guide

1. 1
   Choose text or file mode
   Use the 'Text' tab to hash a string, or the 'File' tab to compute hashes for any local file without uploading it.
2. 2
   Enter your text or select a file
   In text mode, type or paste into the textarea. In file mode, click the upload area or drag and drop any file.
3. 3
   Read the hash results
   All five hash values (MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512) are computed simultaneously and displayed as hex strings.
4. 4
   Copy a hash
   Click the Copy button next to any algorithm to copy that hash value to your clipboard.
5. 5
   Use the hash for verification or storage
   Use the hash to verify file integrity, store password hashes (use SHA-256 or higher, ideally with a KDF like bcrypt), or as a checksum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my data sent to a server?

No. Text hashing uses the browser's Web Crypto API. File hashing reads the file locally using FileReader. In both cases, your data never leaves your device.

What is the difference between MD5 and SHA-256?

MD5 produces a 128-bit (32 hex chars) output and is considered cryptographically broken: collisions (two different inputs producing the same hash) can be generated. SHA-256 produces a 256-bit output and is currently considered cryptographically strong. For security-critical applications, use SHA-256 or higher.

Can I still use MD5?

MD5 is suitable for non-security uses such as checksums, cache keys, and deduplication where speed matters and collision resistance is not required. Never use MD5 for password hashing or digital signatures.

Should I use SHA-256 or SHA-512 for password hashing?

Neither SHA-256 nor SHA-512 should be used directly for password hashing. They are too fast: an attacker can try billions of guesses per second. Use a purpose-built key derivation function such as bcrypt, Argon2, or PBKDF2 instead.

What is SHA-1 and is it safe?

SHA-1 produces a 160-bit output. Theoretical collision attacks have been demonstrated against SHA-1 (SHAttered, 2017), so it is no longer recommended for security-critical uses. It is still used in legacy systems and Git's object addressing.

How does file hashing work?

The file is read into memory as an ArrayBuffer using the FileReader API. The raw bytes are then passed to the Web Crypto API for SHA hashing and to a pure-JS MD5 implementation. No file data leaves your browser.

Can I hash large files?

Yes. Files are read into memory, so very large files (several GB) may consume significant RAM. For most use cases (documents, images, installers), file sizes are well within browser limits.

What is SHA-384?

SHA-384 is a truncated variant of SHA-512 producing a 384-bit (96 hex chars) output. It offers better performance on 64-bit systems than SHA-256 due to different internal word sizes. It is used in TLS and subresource integrity (SRI) checks.

How do I verify a file download with a hash?

Download the file, then drag it into the File tab of this tool. Compare the SHA-256 (or the algorithm specified by the download source) output with the official checksum provided on the download page. They should match exactly.

What is the SHA-256 hash of a string and how do I calculate it?

The SHA-256 hash of a string is a fixed 64-character hexadecimal fingerprint produced by the SHA-256 algorithm. To calculate it: switch to the Text tab, type or paste your string, and the SHA-256 hash appears instantly. The same string always produces the same hash: even a single character change produces a completely different result.