SHA-256 Hash Generator Online

Get the SHA-256 hash of a text or file, instantly and locally. Today’s standard for checking a file’s integrity.

Hashes

AlgorithmLengthHash

100% local processing, nothing is uploaded

How does it work?

This tool computes the SHA-256 hash (256 bits, 64 hexadecimal characters) of a text or a file. SHA-256 belongs to the SHA-2 family and is today’s robust standard for checking a file’s integrity or building a signature.

On recent browsers, SHA-256 is computed by the native SubtleCrypto API when possible, for better performance on large files. The result is bit-for-bit identical to the reference implementation.

Examples

Reference hash

SHA-256 of “abc” = ba7816bf8f01cfea414140de5dae2223b00361a396177a9cb410ff61f20015ad. It is the official NIST test vector: if you get the same value, the tool is correct.

Checking a disk image

Linux distributions publish the SHA-256 of their ISO images. Drop the downloaded ISO: the computed hash must match the one on the website exactly.

Frequently asked questions

Is SHA-256 enough to hash a password?
No. SHA-256 is deliberately fast, which helps an attacker. For a password, use a slow, salted function (bcrypt, scrypt, Argon2).
What is the difference with SHA-3 or SHA-512?
SHA-512 is a 512-bit variant of the same SHA-2 family. SHA-3 relies on a completely different construction (Keccak, sponge); it is not “more secure” than SHA-256, but offers an alternative should SHA-2 ever show weaknesses.
Hexadecimal or Base64: what is the difference?
It is only a way of writing the same bytes. Hexadecimal uses two characters (0-9, a-f) per byte; Base64 is more compact (4 characters for 3 bytes). The hash is identical; only its representation changes.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. All the computation happens in your browser, in JavaScript and WebAssembly. Your text, your files and your hashes never leave your device: no network request is made during hashing, and nothing is stored on a server.

Related tools