Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Generate MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 hashes from text.
Enter text above to generate its hashes.
A cryptographic hash function takes any input text and produces a fixed-length string of characters (the "hash" or "digest") -- the same input always produces the same hash, but even a tiny change to the input produces a completely different result. This tool generates MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 hashes from any text you enter, all at once.
Type or paste your text into the input box. All four hash algorithms (MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512) compute and display simultaneously, each with its own copy button.
SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 use the browser's native Web Crypto API, the same trusted cryptographic implementation used throughout modern web security. MD5 has no native browser API (browsers don't implement it, since it's considered cryptographically broken for security purposes), so it's computed here via a from-scratch implementation of the standard RFC 1321 MD5 algorithm.
Developers verifying a downloaded file's integrity by comparing its published hash against a locally computed one. Generating a quick checksum to confirm two pieces of text are identical without comparing them character by character. Creating a deterministic identifier from a piece of text for caching or deduplication purposes.
MD5 and SHA-1 are considered cryptographically broken for security-sensitive purposes (like password storage) due to known collision vulnerabilities -- they're still useful for non-security purposes like file integrity checks or checksums, but SHA-256 or SHA-512 should be used wherever real security matters. Never use any of these algorithms alone for password storage; dedicated password-hashing algorithms (bcrypt, Argon2, scrypt) exist specifically because general-purpose hash functions are unsuitable for that job.
Each algorithm produces a fixed-length result no matter how long the input is. MD5 outputs 128 bits, shown as 32 hexadecimal characters. SHA-1 outputs 160 bits, or 40 characters. SHA-256 outputs 256 bits, or 64 characters, and SHA-512 outputs 512 bits, or 128 characters. A one-word input and a whole book therefore both produce a digest of the same length. If a published checksum has a different length from what you see here, you are probably comparing against a different algorithm.
Hashing is sensitive to every byte. A trailing space, a newline at the end of the text, different line endings (Windows versus Unix), or a different character encoding will produce a completely different digest. For example, "hello" and "hello " (with a trailing space) have unrelated hashes. When a command-line tool such as echo adds a newline by default, its result will differ from this tool's result for the same visible text. Hash the same bytes on both sides to get the same output.
Good uses include checksums, cache keys, deduplication, and detecting accidental changes. A hash is not encryption: you cannot recover the original text from it by design, but short or common inputs can be guessed by hashing candidates and comparing, so a hash of a simple password or phone number gives little protection. Do not rely on a plain hash to hide data with a limited set of possible values. When the goal is security, such as protecting credentials or signing messages, use the appropriate tool: a password-hashing algorithm for passwords, and a keyed message authentication code or a digital signature for authenticity.
If nothing dictates otherwise, choose SHA-256 for new work. Use MD5 or SHA-1 only when you must match an existing system that publishes those values, and treat them as integrity checks rather than security guarantees.
Not for security purposes -- MD5 is cryptographically broken and vulnerable to collision attacks, meaning two different inputs can be deliberately crafted to produce the same hash. It's still fine for basic file-integrity checksums where security isn't the concern.
No -- none of these general-purpose hash functions (MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512) are appropriate for password storage. Use a dedicated password-hashing algorithm like bcrypt or Argon2, which are specifically designed to be slow and resistant to brute-force attacks.
No -- all hashing happens locally in your browser (via the native Web Crypto API for SHA algorithms, and a local implementation for MD5); your text is never transmitted anywhere.
Not directly, since hashing is one-way. But simple or common inputs can be guessed and checked, so hashes are weak protection for predictable values.
Terminal commands often add a trailing newline, and line endings or encodings can differ. Make sure both sides hash exactly the same bytes.
In theory yes, since infinitely many inputs map to fixed-size outputs. For MD5 and SHA-1, collisions can be deliberately constructed, which is why they are not recommended for security.
It hashes text you type or paste. To verify a file, use a tool that reads the file bytes directly.