Hash Generator
Generate SHA-256, SHA-512, SHA-384, and SHA-1 cryptographic hashes from any text. Uses the browser's Web Crypto API — no data leaves your device. Free, no sign-up.
Hash Generator
About these hash functions
- SHA-256 — Most widely used. Recommended for checksums, data integrity, and HMAC.
- SHA-512 — Longer output, slightly faster on 64-bit CPUs. Good for passwords (with salting).
- SHA-384 — Truncated SHA-512, used in TLS and certificate signing.
- SHA-1 — Legacy. Collision vulnerabilities found — do not use for security purposes.
All hashing runs in your browser using the Web Crypto API — no data leaves your device.
What is a hash?
A cryptographic hash function takes any input and produces a fixed-length output (the hash). The same input always produces the same hash, but the hash cannot be reversed to recover the input.
SHA-256 vs SHA-512
SHA-256 produces a 256-bit (64 character hex) digest and is the most widely used. SHA-512 produces a 512-bit digest and is used when a larger security margin is needed. SHA-1 is legacy and not recommended for new security-sensitive work.
Common uses
Hashes are used for file integrity checks (checksums), storing password digests, content-addressable storage, and data deduplication.
How to use
- Type or paste the text you want to hash into the input field.
- Select the algorithm — SHA-256, SHA-512, SHA-384, or SHA-1.
- The hash digest appears instantly. Toggle "Uppercase" if needed, then click "Copy" to copy the result.
Examples
- Simple: Hash
hellowith SHA-256 →2cf24dba5fb0a30e26e83b2ac5b9e29e1b161e5c1fa7425e73043362938b9824. Any change to the input — even adding one space — produces a completely different hash. - Developer workflow: A software release lists a published SHA-256 checksum. Hash the downloaded file contents here and compare against the published value to confirm the file has not been tampered with.
- Edge case: SHA-1 of the same input produces a shorter, different digest. SHA-1 digests are not interchangeable with SHA-256. Do not compare hashes across algorithms.
Hashing runs in your browser using the Web Crypto API — no data is uploaded to any server.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a cryptographic hash function?
- A cryptographic hash function takes any input and produces a fixed-size output (the hash or digest). The same input always produces the same output, but small changes produce completely different hashes. Hashes are one-way — you cannot reverse them to recover the original input.
- What is SHA-256 used for?
- SHA-256 is the most widely used hash function, employed in TLS/HTTPS certificates, code signing, file integrity verification, Bitcoin, and HMAC. It produces a 256-bit (64 hex character) digest.
- Is SHA-1 still safe to use?
- SHA-1 is considered cryptographically broken for security purposes — collision attacks have been demonstrated. Do not use SHA-1 for digital signatures, certificates, or security-critical applications. It is still acceptable for non-security checksums.
- Can I hash a file with this tool?
- This tool hashes text input only. To hash a file, paste the file contents as text, or use command-line tools like sha256sum (Linux/Mac) or CertUtil (Windows).