Hash Generator
MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 for text and files
🔒 100% free · no signup · files never leave your device
A hash is a fixed-length fingerprint of data: change a single byte anywhere in a 4 GB ISO and the resulting digest changes completely. That property is what makes a checksum calculator useful — it is the fastest way to prove that the file on your disk is byte-for-byte the file the publisher released, and that a truncated download or a tampered mirror has not slipped past you.
This hash generator computes MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 at the same time, for typed text or for any file you drop on it, and shows all four side by side so you never have to guess which algorithm a project used. Paste the checksum from a release page into the verify box and the tool detects the algorithm from its length, compares case-insensitively and gives you a plain match or no-match answer. Everything runs locally in your browser through the Web Crypto API — with MD5 implemented in JavaScript, since browsers deliberately omit it — so private documents and unreleased builds stay on your machine.
Why use Hash Generator
Verifying a Linux ISO or installer download
Distributions publish a SHA-256 for every image. Drop the downloaded file here, paste the published checksum, and confirm the download completed without corruption before you burn or boot it.
Checking that a file transfer arrived intact
Hash a large video or database dump before uploading it and again after the recipient downloads it — identical digests prove nothing was lost or altered in transit.
Debugging legacy systems that still expect MD5
Older APIs and payment gateways sign requests with MD5 or SHA-1. Generating the digest of a test string here lets you confirm your server code produces the same value.
Spotting duplicate files without opening them
Two files with the same SHA-256 have identical contents regardless of their names or timestamps, which makes hashing a quick way to confirm a backup copy is truly a copy.
Pro tips
- Hash length tells you the algorithm: 32 hex characters is MD5, 40 is SHA-1, 64 is SHA-256 and 128 is SHA-512 — the verify box uses exactly this rule.
- You can paste a whole line from a checksums file, such as "d41d8c… ubuntu.iso", and also prefixes like "sha256:" — only the hash part is compared.
- Text hashes cover the exact bytes you typed, so a trailing newline or a stray space changes the result. Copy the value from its source rather than retyping it.
- Hashing text is not encryption and it is not reversible, but short inputs like common passwords are trivially looked up in rainbow tables — never publish the hash of something secret.
- For very large files, wait for the progress bar to finish before switching tabs; the file is read once and all four digests are computed from that single pass.
How to use Hash Generator
- 1Type text or drop a file into the tool
- 2Read the MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 results
- 3Paste an expected hash into the verify box
- 4Copy the digest you need with one click
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my file uploaded anywhere?▾
No. Hashing runs entirely in your browser using the Web Crypto API, so the file never leaves your device.
Which hash should I use?▾
Use SHA-256 or SHA-512 for anything security related. MD5 and SHA-1 are broken by collision attacks and should only be used to check that a download was not corrupted.
Why does the checksum I was given not match?▾
Usually the file was downloaded incompletely, or you compared against a different release. Re-download the file and check the hash length matches the algorithm the publisher used.