How it works
Text is hashed as UTF-8 the moment you type, showing MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 side by side. Files are read in small pieces so even large files hash without freezing the page, with a progress bar while it runs. The same code runs here, in the build and in the tests, so the values match standard tools exactly.
"abc" → SHA-256 ba7816bf…15ad
Which algorithm to use
- SHA-256 / SHA-512: the safe default for checksums and file verification.
- SHA-1: legacy only, kept for checking old hashes. Do not use for security.
- MD5: broken for security, useful only to compare with published MD5 checksums.
Tips
- Compare a download against the publisher's published checksum: same string means the file arrived intact.
- Hashing is one-way — nobody can recover your text or file from the digest.
- Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Standards and sources
- MD5: RFC 1321; SHA-1, SHA-224/256/384/512: FIPS 180-4
- Text is hashed as UTF-8 (RFC 3629)
Last reviewed October 12, 2026
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify a download?
Hash the downloaded file here with the same algorithm the publisher used, then compare the two strings character by character. An exact match means the file arrived intact; any difference means a corrupt or tampered download.
Which algorithm should I use?
SHA-256 for anything new, SHA-512 when you want extra margin. SHA-1 and MD5 are broken for security and exist here only to compare against old published checksums.
Can the original be recovered from a hash?
No. Hashing is one-way by design, so nobody can reconstruct your text or file from the digest shown here.
Are the values the same as standard tools?
Yes. The same code runs in this page, in the site build and in the automated tests, which compare every algorithm against reference vectors on each release.