MD5, SHA-1 and SHA-256 Hash Generator

Generate MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512 hashes of any text, all at once. Handy for checking file integrity, comparing values and testing integrations.

Text

Uppercase hash

MD5
SHA-1
SHA-256
SHA-384
SHA-512

What is a hash?

A hash function turns any text into a fixed-length string called a hash or digest. The same input always produces the same hash, and the smallest change, such as a single letter, produces a completely different one. You cannot turn a hash back into the original text.

MD5 vs SHA-1 vs SHA-256

MD5 (128 bits, 32 characters): fast and still common for download checksums, but broken against collisions. Do not use it for security.
SHA-1 (160 bits, 40 characters): used by Git and older systems. It also has known collisions.
SHA-256 (256 bits, 64 characters): today's standard for signatures, certificates, blockchains and integrity checks.
SHA-384 and SHA-512: members of the same SHA-2 family with longer digests.

How to generate a hash

Type or paste your text.
The MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512 hashes appear instantly.
Click Copy next to the algorithm you need.

Hash example

The text abc has the MD5 hash 900150983cd24fb0d6963f7d28e17f72 and the SHA-256 hash ba7816bf8f01cfea414140de5dae2223b00361a396177a9cb410ff61f20015ad. Use these values to check whether another tool computes hashes correctly.

Tip: never store passwords with plain MD5 or SHA. Use slow, salted algorithms such as bcrypt, scrypt or Argon2.

Frequently asked questions

Can an MD5 or SHA-256 hash be decrypted?

No. A hash is a one-way function, not encryption. Sites that claim to reverse MD5 only look the hash up in lists of known inputs.

Which hash is the most secure?

Of the ones listed, SHA-256 and SHA-512. MD5 and SHA-1 have known collisions and should only be used for simple checksums, not security.

Can I use SHA-256 to store passwords?

It is not ideal. SHA-256 is too fast, which makes brute-force attacks easier. For passwords use bcrypt, scrypt or Argon2, which are slow and salted.

Why does the hash change when I add a space?

Any change to the input, even a space or a line break, produces a completely different hash. This is called the avalanche effect.

How long is each hash?

In hexadecimal, MD5 is 32 characters, SHA-1 is 40, SHA-256 is 64, SHA-384 is 96 and SHA-512 is 128.