Generate SHA hashes instantly
Enter any text and this tool produces its SHA-256, SHA-1, SHA-384 and SHA-512 hashes at once, updating as you type. It uses the browser's built-in Web Crypto API, so the hashing is fast, standards-compliant, and done entirely on your device — nothing you enter is uploaded.
What a hash is for
A hash is a fixed-length fingerprint of your input. The same text always yields the same hash, but the tiniest change — a single character — produces a completely different result, and you can't work backward from a hash to the original. That makes hashes ideal for verifying file integrity, comparing values without exposing them, and building checksums.
Which algorithm to use
- SHA-256 / SHA-384 / SHA-512 — the SHA-2 family, still strong and the right default for security work.
- SHA-1 — provided for compatibility with older systems, but broken for security use due to known collisions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hash?
A hash is a fixed-length fingerprint of some input data, produced by a one-way function. The same input always produces the same hash, but you cannot reverse a hash back into the original input, which makes hashes useful for verifying integrity.
Can a hash be reversed or decrypted?
No. Hashing is one-way — there is no decrypt step. The only way to find an input for a given hash is to try candidate inputs and compare, which is why strong hashes are used for integrity checks and, with proper salting, for storing passwords.
Why is SHA-256 recommended over SHA-1 or MD5?
SHA-1 and MD5 have known collision weaknesses and are considered broken for security use. SHA-256 and the rest of the SHA-2 family remain strong, so prefer SHA-256 or higher for anything security-related.