Hash generator & checksum verifier
Get MD5 and SHA hashes of any text or file, then paste an expected checksum to confirm a download hasn’t been corrupted or tampered with.
Hashes are computed on your device with the Web Crypto API. Files are never uploaded.
Shortcuts
Which hash should I use?
| Algorithm | Output | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| MD5 | 128-bit, 32 hex chars | Legacy checksums only. Broken for security: collisions are easy to create. |
| SHA-1 | 160-bit, 40 hex chars | Legacy systems and Git object IDs. Not collision-resistant; avoid for new security work. |
| SHA-256 | 256-bit, 64 hex chars | The default choice: file checksums, signatures, blockchains, integrity checks. |
| SHA-384 / SHA-512 | 384 / 512-bit | Higher security margin; SHA-512 is often faster on 64-bit CPUs. |
Don’t hash passwords with these. Fast hashes make brute-forcing easy. Store passwords with a slow, salted algorithm such as Argon2id, scrypt or bcrypt.
How to check a file on your computer
- Windows (PowerShell):
Get-FileHash .\file.zip -Algorithm SHA256 - macOS:
shasum -a 256 file.zip - Linux:
sha256sum file.zip
Need strong random secrets instead? Use the password generator.
Frequently asked questions
Can a hash be reversed?
No. Hash functions are one-way. Short or common inputs can sometimes be guessed with lookup tables, which is why passwords need salted, slow hashing.
Why does my hash differ from another tool’s?
Check for a trailing newline or space in the text, and that both tools use UTF-8. For files, make sure you’re hashing the exact same file.
Is there a file size limit?
Files are read into memory, so a few hundred megabytes works on most computers. Very large files may be slow on phones.