Hash Generator – MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 Online
Create MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512 hashes of any text or file, and check a download against the checksum its publisher provides.
Type text or choose a file and all hashes appear at once. “hello world” has the MD5 5eb63bbbe01eeed093cb22bb8f5acdc3 and a SHA-256 starting b94d27b9…. Paste a published checksum into the compare box to verify a download: a ✓ means the file is identical.
How to use Hash Generator
- Type or paste text, or choose a file.
- Read the MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512 values.
- Optionally switch to uppercase.
- Paste a published checksum into the compare field.
- Copy the hash you need.
What a hash is
A cryptographic hash function turns any amount of data into a short, fixed-length fingerprint. The same input always gives the same hash, but changing even one character changes the hash completely. You cannot turn a hash back into the original data.
| Algorithm | Length (hex characters) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MD5 | 32 | Broken for security, fine for checksums |
| SHA-1 | 40 | Deprecated for security |
| SHA-256 | 64 | Secure, most widely used |
| SHA-384 | 96 | Secure |
| SHA-512 | 128 | Secure |
Verifying downloads
Software publishers often list a SHA-256 checksum next to a download. Choose the downloaded file here and paste the published value into the compare box. If they match, the file arrived complete and unchanged. If not, download it again from the official source — a mismatch can mean a corrupted or tampered file. Files up to 200 MB are hashed locally; nothing is uploaded.
MD5 and SHA-1 are not secure
Researchers can create two different files with the same MD5 or SHA-1 hash. That makes them unsuitable for signatures or certificates. They are still fine to detect accidental corruption or to deduplicate files. For anything security-related, use SHA-256 or stronger.
Do not hash passwords this way
Plain SHA-256 is far too fast for storing passwords: attackers can try billions of guesses per second. Real systems use slow, salted password hashing such as bcrypt, scrypt or Argon2. To create strong passwords in the first place, use the Password Generator.
Encoding details
Text is hashed as UTF-8, the standard used by Linux, macOS, Git and most websites, so the results match command-line tools like sha256sum and md5sum. Line endings matter: text with Windows CRLF endings hashes differently from the same text with LF.
Related developer tools
Hashes are often shown in Base64 instead of hex; convert with the Base64 Encode / Decode tool. For random identifiers, use the UUID Generator.
You may also find these free tools useful: JSON Formatter, Password Generator and Regex Tester.
Frequently asked questions
How do I generate a SHA-256 hash?
Type or paste your text, or choose a file. The SHA-256 value appears instantly together with the other hashes.
How do I verify a file checksum?
Choose the file and paste the published checksum into the compare box. A ✓ next to the algorithm means it matches.
Can a hash be decrypted?
No. Hashes are one-way. Short or common inputs can sometimes be guessed, but the hash itself cannot be reversed.
Is MD5 still safe?
Not for security, because collisions can be created. It is still fine for detecting accidental file corruption.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Hashing runs entirely in your browser.
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