How to use Hash and Checksum Generator

Choose Text typed or pasted here, or A file from this device.
Set Algorithm. SHA-256 is the default.
Enter the text or select the file, and paste an expected value if you have one.
The digest updates as you change the input. Read the Digest row.

Example: Hash and Checksum Generator

Hash one short text with SHA-256.

You add

What to hash: Text typed or pasted here. Text: UseFreeTools. Algorithm: SHA-256 (recommended). Expected value to compare: empty.

You get

The summary reads SHA-256 digest of the text: 1d235244257f085640a39a4efd8a0b0b6b1262efd5c0659abe8ff917fe3c5b90, and the text output repeats the same 64-character digest.

Options

Algorithm: SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512 use the browser crypto interface. SHA-1 and CRC32 are computed in the page and labeled legacy, because they are not safe for security work.
Expected value to compare: Optional. Spaces and colons are stripped and letter case is ignored, so a digest copied from a download page can be pasted as it appears. The page compares two strings only; it cannot check where your expected value came from.
CRC32 (corruption check): Use it to catch accidental changes during a transfer. Two different inputs can share one CRC32 value, so it is not proof of authenticity.
Legacy MD5: MD5 is available for matching old checksums. It is unsuitable for passwords, signatures or security verification. Use SHA-256 for file integrity checks.

Supported inputs and limits

Text up to 5,000,000 characters, or one file up to 64 MB (67,108,864 bytes). Raw file bytes are hashed, and text is encoded as UTF-8, so a trailing space changes the digest. SHA-2 needs a browser with Web Crypto; SHA-1, CRC32 and MD5 do not. MD5 is a legacy checksum and is unsuitable for passwords or security verification. A match only says your bytes agree with the value you supplied, and both sides must use the same algorithm.

Where your input is processed

This tool processes your input in this browser. Your text and files are not uploaded to UseFreeTools. Check this tool's limits for anything it may save on your device.

What a matching checksum proves

A checksum turns bytes into a fixed-length value, and any change produces a different one. When the expected value comes from the publisher over HTTPS and both sides used the same algorithm, a match is strong evidence that your bytes match theirs. It is not a safety check: a digest cannot tell you whether a program contains malware.

FIPS 180-4, Secure Hash Standard (NIST)

Why one changed byte changes everything

A secure hash spreads a small input change across the whole output, so abc and abd share no visible structure. That is what catches a truncated download or a converted line ending.

Questions about Hash and Checksum Generator

When should I choose MD5?

Only when matching an existing legacy checksum that requires MD5. It is unsuitable for passwords, signatures or security verification. A match does not prove a file is safe.

A file matches its checksum but will not open. Why?

The bytes match what the publisher hashed. That says nothing about whether the file is valid or safe.

Do spaces or colons in a pasted value break the comparison?

No. They are removed before the comparison, and letter case is ignored.

Can I hash a file larger than 64 MB?

Not here. Use sha256sum on Linux, certutil -hashfile on Windows, or shasum on macOS.

Project manager: Tony Hines · Content updated 30 September 2026 · Report a problem

Hash and Checksum Generator

Hash the input controls