SHA-256 Hash Generator
Generate SHA-256 / SHA-512 hashes instantly.
Cryptographic hashes fingerprint data: file integrity checks, password storage and blockchain all rely on them.
How to use
- Type or paste the text to hash.
- Pick SHA-256 or SHA-512.
- The hash appears instantly — copy it.
About this tool
SHA-256/512 are one-way — you cannot reverse the hash to get the text back.
Computed with the Web Crypto API, locally, nothing uploaded.
How it works
SHA-256 takes any input and produces a fixed 256-bit digest — 64 hexadecimal characters. It is deterministic (same input, same hash), one-way (the input cannot be reconstructed), and has the avalanche property: flipping one input bit scrambles roughly half the output bits.
That combination makes hashes ideal for integrity checks: publish the SHA-256 of a download and anyone can verify the file arrived intact by hashing it themselves. Login systems store hashes instead of passwords so a database leak does not expose credentials — though production password storage should use a salt plus a slow function like bcrypt or Argon2, since plain SHA-256 is too fast against brute force.
This tool also offers SHA-512 (128 hex characters, a wider security margin). Neither is encryption — there is no key and no decryption.
Worked examples
Verifying a download: The project page lists a SHA-256 checksum for app.zip. Hash your downloaded copy here — if even one byte differs, the digests will not match and you should download again.
A known answer to test with: SHA-256 of the word 'hello' is 2cf24dba5fb0a30e26e83b2ac5b9e29e1b161e5c1fa7425e73043362938b9824. Hash it here to confirm the tool agrees before trusting it with real data.
Quick reference
| Algorithm | Output | Hex chars | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD5 | 128-bit | 32 | Broken — legacy use only |
| SHA-1 | 160-bit | 40 | Broken — legacy use only |
| SHA-256 | 256-bit | 64 | Current standard for checksums |
| SHA-512 | 512-bit | 128 | Stronger margin, slightly slower |
Frequently asked questions
Can hashes be reversed?
No — that is the point. Verification means re-hashing and comparing.
SHA-256 vs SHA-512?
Both secure; 512 is longer and slightly slower. 256 is the common default.
Is my text uploaded?
No — hashed on your device.
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