SHA-256
A widely used SHA-2 digest for checksums, integrity verification, content identifiers and many modern application workflows.
Hash Generator
Generate SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 or SHA-512 hashes for text and files directly in your browser.
Text inputUTF-8 text
Hash outputHexadecimal digest
Generate SHA digests locally in your browser
The Hash Generator uses the browser Web Crypto API to calculate SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 or SHA-512. Text is encoded as UTF-8 before hashing, while selected files are read locally and passed directly to the browser's digest function. The file contents are not uploaded to Smart Web Utility.
SHA-384 and SHA-512
Longer SHA-2 outputs that can be required by particular protocols, policies or interoperability workflows.
SHA-1
Available for legacy compatibility and old checksum systems. SHA-1 should not be chosen where modern collision resistance is a security requirement.
Hex output
Copy the digest as lowercase hexadecimal or toggle uppercase when matching a tool or checksum format that expects capital letters.
File checksum workflow
Select the same algorithm used by the checksum source, choose the local file and compare the generated hexadecimal digest character for character. Matching digests provide strong evidence that the bytes you hashed are identical to the bytes used to create the published checksum for that algorithm.
Hashes are not encryption or password storage
A cryptographic hash is a one-way digest and does not make sensitive content confidential. Plain SHA algorithms are also not suitable password-storage schemes by themselves. Password systems should use a dedicated password-hashing or key-derivation design with salts and an appropriate work factor rather than storing a simple SHA digest of the password.
Text hashing details
The text field is converted to UTF-8 bytes before hashing. Small differences—including capitalization, spaces, line endings or invisible characters—change the input bytes and therefore change the digest. If two systems produce different hashes for “the same text,” compare their exact encoding and line-ending behavior.
Large-file considerations
The current browser implementation reads the selected file into memory before calculating the digest. That is convenient for normal files, but very large files can consume significant browser memory. Streaming command-line tools are better suited to unusually large disk images, backups or archives.
Related developer tools
Frequently asked hash questions
Will the same file always have the same SHA-256?
Yes, provided the file bytes are identical and the same algorithm is used. Even a one-byte change will normally produce a very different digest.
Can I reverse a SHA-256 hash to get the original file?
No practical inverse operation is built into the hash. Hashing is designed as a one-way transformation, although weak or guessable original inputs can sometimes be discovered by trying candidate values.
Why should I avoid SHA-1 for security-sensitive integrity?
Practical collision attacks have been demonstrated against SHA-1, so modern security designs generally use stronger SHA-2 family algorithms or another currently appropriate primitive.
Does the file leave my browser?
No. The current implementation reads the selected file locally and computes the digest using Web Crypto in the browser.