MD5 Generator

MD5 for pasted text or a file on your device.

FREE - NO SIGN-UP - RUNS ON YOUR DEVICE

Runs in your browser tab

  • MD5plus three SHA sizes
  • 1file at a time
  • 0uploads
  • Freeno sign-up
Specification

MD5 Generator at a glance

Input
Text or one local file
Output
A hex digest you can copy
Method
Local MD5; crypto.subtle for SHA
What MD5 is for
Comparing files, not securing them
Reversing a digest
A hash cannot be turned back
Price
Free
Account needed
None
Where processing happens
On your device
How to

How to use MD5 Generator

  1. 1

    Choose text or a file

    Paste text or pick one file.

  2. 2

    Pick MD5

    Select MD5, or switch to a SHA size.

  3. 3

    Copy the digest

    Copy the hex result.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Can I decrypt an MD5 hash back to the original?

No. Hashing is one way and the input is not held inside the digest. Sites that claim to reverse one are matching against a list of digests they already computed.

Is MD5 safe for passwords?

No. It is fast to compute and collisions can be produced on purpose. Use it to check that a file arrived intact, and pick a password hash designed for that job instead.

Why does my MD5 differ from the published one?

Usually a trailing newline, a different character encoding, or hashing the text of a file rather than its bytes. Choose the file itself and the digest will match.

Is the file uploaded to work this out?

No. The file is read inside this browser tab and the digest is computed there. Nothing is sent to a server or kept in an account.

Background

Choosing between MD5 and SHA

Paste text or choose one file, pick MD5, and the digest appears below. The same panel also holds SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 if you need a stronger one.

  • MD5 stays in use because publishers still print it beside downloads, and it catches a file that arrived damaged.
  • SHA-256 is the one to pick when the digest has to stand up to someone trying to fool it.
  • A digest that differs by one character means completely different bytes, not a small difference.
  • Hash the file itself rather than its text if you want a result that matches the digest a publisher prints.

Full specification

Specification of the MD5 Generator tool
InputPasted text, or one file chosen from this device, plus the algorithm you want.
OutputA hexadecimal MD5 digest, ready to copy. SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 come from the same panel.
MethodMD5 runs as local JavaScript and is meant for checksums. The SHA family uses crypto.subtle in the browser.
What MD5 is forTelling whether two files or two strings are the same. Collisions can be made deliberately, so it is not a security check.
Reversing a digestNot possible here or anywhere. A hash throws information away; matching one means guessing inputs until a digest agrees.
PriceFree. Supported by clearly labelled ads outside the working area.
Account neededNo.
Where processing happensIn your browser tab. Your input is never uploaded.
Next step

Keep going with the same files

All developer tools: Developer tools on SPOTTOOLS