Hash Generator

How to generate a hash

Type or paste text into the box. The SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512 hashes update as you type, each with its own Copy button. Text is read as UTF-8, the standard for the web, so accented letters and emoji give the same results as most other tools and programming languages.

What a hash is

A hash function turns any amount of text into a fixed-length string of letters and numbers. The same input always gives the same hash, but change a single character, even a space or a capital letter, and the result changes completely. You can't work backwards from a hash to the original text.

Common uses

• Checking that two pieces of text match. Long texts with the same hash are identical, which is quicker than comparing them by eye.
• Verifying a published value. Where a checksum or signature has been shared as text, you can hash the original text and compare.
• Development and testing. Producing expected values for code, APIs and database records.

This tool hashes text you enter, not files.

Which one to use

SHA-256 is the everyday choice. SHA-1 is only there for compatibility with older systems, because it is no longer considered secure. SHA-384 and SHA-512 give longer outputs where a system asks for them. None of these should be used on their own to store passwords, which needs a deliberately slow, salted method such as bcrypt or Argon2.