Hash Generator
Generate MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 hashes from text
Input Text
About Hash Functions
Hash functions produce a fixed-size output from any input. They are one-way functions — you cannot reverse a hash to get the original text. Common uses include password storage, data integrity verification, and digital signatures. SHA-256 is widely used in security applications including SSL certificates and blockchain.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I generate a SHA-256 hash from text online?
Paste or type your text into the input field and click Generate All Hashes. The tool computes MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 simultaneously and displays each hash in its own row. Click any row to copy that specific hash to your clipboard.
Which hash algorithm should I use for password storage?
None of the four algorithms shown here — MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, or SHA-512 — should be used directly to hash passwords. Plain SHA-2 is too fast, making brute-force attacks feasible. For passwords, use a purpose-built, slow algorithm like bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2. Use SHA-256 or SHA-512 for data integrity checks, checksums, and digital signatures, not for password hashing.
Are MD5 and SHA-1 still safe to use?
MD5 and SHA-1 are cryptographically broken for security-sensitive uses. Collision attacks are practical against both, meaning two different inputs can produce the same hash. They are still acceptable for non-security purposes like file checksums, cache keys, or checksumming non-critical data where collisions are not a threat. For anything security-related, use SHA-256 or higher.
Does my text get sent to a server when generating hashes?
No. All hashing runs in your browser using the Web Crypto API and JavaScript. Your input text never leaves your device. This means you can safely hash confidential strings, API keys, or passwords to compare digests without any server-side exposure.
Can I reverse a hash back to the original text?
No. Hash functions are one-way by design — it is computationally infeasible to derive the original input from the output digest. What attackers do instead is precompute hashes for common inputs (rainbow tables) and look up a match. This is why salting passwords before hashing is critical, and why weak inputs like ‘password123’ can be reversed via lookup even though the algorithm itself is not reversible.