ToolFeather

Hash Generator

Compute MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 hashes from text or a file — all locally in your browser.

Hash Generator

Drop a file here or click to choose

🔒 Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or stored. All processing happens in your browser.

How it works

A hash is a fixed-length fingerprint of data. The same input always produces the same hash, but even a one-character change produces a completely different result, and you can't reverse a hash back into the original. Hashes are used to verify file integrity, compare data without storing it, and index content.

This tool computes four common algorithms. The SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 hashes are calculated with the browser's native SubtleCrypto API, which is fast and well tested. MD5 is included via a small self-hosted library because SubtleCrypto doesn't provide it — MD5 remains widely used for non-security checksums like verifying a download.

You can hash typed text (updated automatically as you type) or drop in a file, which is read locally with FileReader and never uploaded. A note on security: MD5 and SHA-1 are considered broken for cryptographic purposes and should not be used to protect passwords or signatures — prefer SHA-256 or SHA-512 for anything security-sensitive. For password storage specifically, a purpose-built algorithm like bcrypt or Argon2 is the right choice.

Examples

Text "abc" → SHA-256 ba7816bf…f20015ad (same every time).
Drop a downloaded file → compare its SHA-256 against the publisher's checksum.
Change one letter → the entire hash changes completely.

Frequently asked questions

Can a hash be reversed to get the original data?
No. Hashing is one-way. You can't recover the input from the hash, though weak algorithms can be brute-forced for short inputs — another reason to avoid MD5/SHA-1 for secrets.
Why is MD5 handled differently?
The browser's built-in SubtleCrypto doesn't support MD5, so it's computed with a small self-hosted library. The SHA variants use the native, faster crypto API.
Which algorithm should I use?
For integrity checks, any works. For anything security-related, use SHA-256 or SHA-512 — MD5 and SHA-1 are considered broken cryptographically.
Are my text and files private?
Yes. Everything is hashed in your browser. Files are read locally and never sent to a server.