SHA-256 Generator
SHA-256 for a string or a whole file.
FREE - NO SIGN-UP - RUNS ON YOUR DEVICE
Hashed in this tab, not uploaded
- SHA-256and three more
- crypto.subtledoes the work
- 0uploads
- 1 tapto copy
What you can count on
- 0uploads
- The file is hashed where it sits
- Nothing is sent anywhere
- crypto.subtlein your browser
- The browser's built-in SHA implementation
- The same digest any correct tool gives
- 4algorithms
- SHA-256, SHA-512, SHA-1 and MD5
- Switch and compare without retyping
SHA-256 Generator at a glance
- Input
- Text or one file, plus a choice
- Output
- A SHA-256 hex digest
- Method
- crypto.subtle, built into browser
- Comparing digests
- Any difference means other bytes
- What it is not
- A fingerprint, not encryption
- Text or file
- Text or file, not both
- Algorithms
- MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512
- Price
- Free
- Account needed
- None
- Where processing happens
- On your device
How to use SHA-256 Generator
- 1
Add the text or file
Paste the string, or choose the download you want to check. The file stays where it is and is read in the tab.
- 2
Select SHA-256
SHA-256 is one entry in the list; SHA-1, SHA-512 and MD5 sit beside it, so you can produce whichever a publisher used.
- 3
Read and compare
Copy the digest, or put it next to the published one and check the characters match end to end.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a download with SHA-256?
Choose the downloaded file here, read the digest, and compare it with the one the publisher printed. If a single character differs, the file is not the one that was published.
Is SHA-256 encryption?
No. It is one way. A digest is a fixed-length fingerprint of the bytes and there is no key that brings the original back.
Which should I use, SHA-256 or MD5?
SHA-256, unless a publisher gave you an MD5 to match. MD5 collisions can be made on purpose, so it only tells you a file arrived intact.
Does a large file get sent somewhere to be hashed?
No. The file is read inside this browser tab and hashed there. Nothing is uploaded, and the digest is not stored or logged.
Reading a digest
Paste a string or choose a file, and the digest is worked out by the browser's own crypto.subtle. SHA-1, SHA-512 and MD5 are one switch away.
- A digest is fixed length whatever goes in, so a one-line string and a large file produce results the same size.
- Digests are compared whole. Checking the first and last few characters is a habit worth breaking.
- A published digest only helps if it came from somewhere you trust, not from the same page as the download.
- SHA-512 is on the same list; it is longer rather than stronger for most purposes.
Full specification
| Input | Pasted text, or a single file taken from this device, together with your choice of algorithm. |
|---|---|
| Output | A SHA-256 hexadecimal digest. SHA-1, SHA-512 and MD5 digests come from the same input. |
| Method | crypto.subtle, the hashing built into the browser. MD5 is separate local JavaScript, kept for checksums. |
| Comparing digests | Set the published digest beside the one shown and read them character by character; any difference means different bytes. |
| What it is not | Not encryption. A digest cannot be turned back into the input, and it hides nothing about a file you already hold. |
| Text or file | The two inputs are exclusive: choosing a file clears the text box, and typing clears the chosen file. One digest at a time. |
| Algorithms | MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512. SHA-512 is in the picker even where the page heading lists only the first three. |
| Price | Free. Supported by clearly labeled ads outside the working area. |
| Account needed | No. |
| Where processing happens | In your browser tab. Your input is never uploaded. |
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