Why use this hash generator?
- Hash text or files locally in your browser using SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512.
- Copy each digest independently so you can paste the exact algorithm a workflow needs.
- Compare two hashes while ignoring spaces, separators, and uppercase/lowercase differences.
- Keep SHA-1 for compatibility checks, while steering new work toward SHA-256 or SHA-512.
Text hash
Hash plain text
Text is encoded as UTF-8 before hashing. The digest is one-way and cannot be reversed back into the original text.
File hash
Hash a local file
Useful for checking downloads against published checksums. Files stay in your browser and are not uploaded.
No file selected.
Compare
Compare two hashes
Whitespace, colons, hyphens, and uppercase/lowercase differences are ignored before comparison.
Comparison result
Normalized Hash A
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Normalized Hash B
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Hashes are one-way; Base64 is reversible
A hash is a compact fingerprint. If the input changes, the digest changes. That makes hashes useful for integrity checks and equality checks, but not for transport. Base64 is a reversible encoding for bytes, not a security feature.
When to prefer SHA-256 or SHA-512
For new workflows, prefer SHA-256 or SHA-512. SHA-1 remains here only because older tools, manifests, and package indexes may still publish it. If you are choosing a fresh standard, do not start with SHA-1.
Limits of browser-side hashing
This page reads the selected file into browser memory before hashing it. That is convenient for quick verification, but very large files may be limited by available memory on the device.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Base64 and a hash?
Base64 is reversible encoding for bytes. A cryptographic hash is a one-way digest used to detect changes or compare content. They solve different problems.
Can a hash be decoded back to the original text or file?
No. Hashes are designed to be one-way. You can compare a fresh digest against a known value, but you cannot recover the original input from the hash alone.
Why does this tool still show SHA-1?
SHA-1 is still useful when you must match legacy manifests or older systems, but for new work you should prefer SHA-256 or SHA-512.
Does the file leave my browser?
No. Text hashing, file hashing, and digest comparison all run locally in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Related
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