Hash Generator
Calculate SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512, SHA-1 or MD5 digests from exact UTF-8 text or local file bytes. Export hex or Base64 without uploading the source.
Fingerprint the exact input.
IN YOUR BROWSER / PRIVATE INPUTHow to use the
Hash Generator
- 01
Choose text or a file
Text includes its exact spaces and line breaks and is encoded as UTF-8. File mode reads the original bytes, with a twenty-megabyte limit.
- 02
Choose an algorithm
Use a modern SHA digest for a new checksum workflow. Select MD5 or SHA-1 only when comparing an existing legacy checksum.
- 03
Compare the whole digest
Copy the output in the required encoding and compare it with a trusted reference. One changed byte should produce a different cryptographic digest.
A digest belongs to bytes, not the way a document looks
A trailing newline, different line ending, changed metadata or alternate character encoding changes the input bytes. Two text files can look identical in an editor and still hash differently. The tool reports the number of input bytes so that the comparison is explicit.
SHA digests use Web Crypto in a worker. MD5 uses a small MIT-licensed implementation that accepts byte arrays, so binary file values are not accidentally reinterpreted as UTF-8 text. File bytes never pass through a server hashing endpoint.
Check the familiar MD5 test vector
Typing abc followed by Enter produces a different digest because the newline is part of the input. For an existing download checksum, use file mode rather than copying what the file appears to contain.
Text: abc
Algorithm: MD5
Encoding: Hex900150983cd24fb0d6963f7d28e17f72Choose the algorithm for the actual task
| Algorithm family | Appropriate context | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| SHA-256 / SHA-384 / SHA-512 | Modern byte fingerprints and compatible integrity workflows | A digest alone does not authenticate its source. |
| MD5 / SHA-1 | Matching a legacy reference that already uses that algorithm | Known collision weaknesses; not suitable for collision-resistant security. |
| Password storage | Use a dedicated password-hashing design elsewhere | Fast general-purpose digests are not password-storage algorithms. |
Make integrity checks meaningful
Get the reference through a trusted channel
If an attacker replaces both a file and its checksum, matching them does not establish authenticity.
Match the encoding
Hex and Base64 represent the same digest bytes differently. Compare using the expected representation.
Keep file and text modes distinct
A file may contain binary data, an encoding marker or metadata that a pasted text version omits.
Hash Generator:
questions, answered.
Why do two visually identical files have different hashes?
Hashes cover exact bytes. Metadata, encodings, newline conventions or hidden characters can differ even when an editor shows similar content.
Does hashing a file upload it for analysis?
No. The file is read and hashed in a local browser worker, subject to a twenty-megabyte limit.
Can SHA-256 prove who published a download?
Not by itself. A checksum comparison needs a trusted reference; a signature or authenticated delivery mechanism addresses publisher identity.
Can I store passwords as MD5 or plain SHA-256?
Do not use these fast digest functions as a password-storage design. Use an appropriate dedicated password-hashing implementation and security review.
The calculations and checks above describe this tool's implementation. Use these primary references for the underlying formats and publishing guidance.
Web Crypto digest ↗ (opens in a new tab)MD5 implementation ↗ (opens in a new tab)Fingerprint the exact input.
Use the controls above, inspect the actual result and keep the source until you are ready to use your new copy.
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