SHA-256 and MD5 hash generator
Type any text and get its SHA-256 or MD5 hash instantly. Everything is computed in your browser, so the text is never sent anywhere. You can also switch to SHA-1, SHA-384 or SHA-512 and copy the result in one click.
What SHA-256 is
SHA-256 is a cryptographic hash function from the SHA-2 family. It turns any input, from one letter to a whole file, into a 256-bit fingerprint written as 64 hexadecimal characters. The same input always gives the same hash, and changing a single character changes the result completely. That property is called the avalanche effect.
Bitcoin uses SHA-256 twice in a row to link blocks and to mine them: miners search for a block whose hash is below a target. How that works step by step: what is crypto mining.
What MD5 is and when to use it
MD5 produces a 128-bit hash, 32 hexadecimal characters. It is fast and still common for checksums, cache keys and comparing files. It is not safe for passwords or signatures: researchers can create two different inputs with the same MD5 hash. For anything security-related, use SHA-256 or newer.
Algorithms compared
| Algorithm | Output | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MD5 | 128 bits, 32 hex | Broken for security, fine for checksums |
| SHA-1 | 160 bits, 40 hex | Deprecated, collisions found |
| SHA-256 | 256 bits, 64 hex | Secure, used by Bitcoin and TLS |
| SHA-384 | 384 bits, 96 hex | Secure |
| SHA-512 | 512 bits, 128 hex | Secure, faster on 64-bit CPUs |
How to hash a file on your computer
- Windows:
certutil -hashfile file.zip SHA256(orMD5). - macOS:
shasum -a 256 file.zipormd5 file.zip. - Linux:
sha256sum file.zipormd5sum file.zip.
Compare the result with the checksum published by the file's author. If even one character differs, the file was changed or damaged.
Hashes and passwords
Websites store password hashes instead of passwords, but plain SHA-256 or MD5 is too fast for that: attackers can try billions of guesses per second. Password storage needs slow, salted functions such as bcrypt, scrypt or Argon2.
See SHA-256 mine blocks
In TotalHash, a free mining game inside Telegram, your phone computes SHA-256 hashes like a Bitcoin miner and closes blocks of the game network.
Watch SHA-256 close blocks on your phone.
Open TotalHashQuick answers
How do I get the SHA-256 hash of text online?
Type or paste the text above. The hash appears instantly; it is computed in your browser and the text is not sent anywhere.
Can a SHA-256 hash be reversed?
No. SHA-256 is one-way. The only way to find an input is to guess candidates and compare hashes.
Is MD5 secure?
Not for security. MD5 collisions can be created on purpose, so use it only for checksums and use SHA-256 or newer for anything sensitive.
How long is a SHA-256 hash?
256 bits, written as 64 hexadecimal characters. MD5 is 128 bits, or 32 characters.