Hash Generator is a free tool that calculates the SHA-256, SHA-512, SHA-384, SHA-1 and MD5 hashes of any text, all at once, as you type. Results can be shown in hexadecimal or Base64. The text is hashed in your browser and never sent anywhere.
How to generate a hash
- Type or paste your text. All five hashes update instantly.
- Choose hex or Base64 output, and uppercase if a system expects it.
- Click Copy next to the hash you need.
What is a hash?
A hash function turns any input into a fixed-length fingerprint. The same input always gives the same hash, but changing even one character gives a completely different result, and you can’t work backwards from a hash to the original text. Hashes are used to check integrity, build cache keys, deduplicate data and sign messages.
Which algorithm?
- SHA-256: the standard choice today, used by Git, Bitcoin, TLS certificates and most APIs.
- SHA-512 / SHA-384: longer members of the same family, with a larger safety margin.
- SHA-1 and MD5: broken for security purposes, since collisions can be created deliberately. Use them only to match legacy checksums or for non-security uses such as cache keys.
Not for storing passwords
General-purpose hashes are designed to be fast, which is exactly what attackers want when guessing passwords. Store passwords with a slow, salted password hashing function such as Argon2id, bcrypt or scrypt instead. To sign messages with a secret key, use the HMAC Generator.
Getting the same hash as another tool
Hashes are calculated from the exact UTF-8 bytes of the text. A trailing line break or a space you can’t see changes the result. On the command line, echo adds a line break unless you use echo -n.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use these hashes to store passwords?
No. Plain SHA-256 or MD5 hashes are far too fast to calculate, so stolen password hashes can be cracked quickly. Passwords must be stored with a dedicated password hashing function such as Argon2, bcrypt or scrypt.
Why does my hash differ from another tool?
Check for an extra space or line break at the end of your text; even one invisible character changes the hash completely. This tool hashes exactly what is in the box, as UTF-8.
Is MD5 still useful?
Only for non-security purposes such as detecting accidental changes or matching legacy checksums. It can be deliberately faked, so never rely on it to prove something is genuine.
How do I hash a file?
Use the File Checksum tool. It hashes the file’s exact bytes, which can differ from its text if you copy and paste it.
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