Hash Generator
Type or paste any text to generate its MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512 or NTLM hash.
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What is a hash function?
A hash function takes any input — a word, a password, a whole file — and turns it into a fixed-length string of characters called a hash (or digest). The same input always produces the same hash, but you can't reverse a hash back into the original input. That one-way property is why hashes are used to store passwords, verify file integrity, and generate checksums.
Different algorithms trade off speed and security. MD5 and SHA-1 are fast but no longer considered secure against a determined attacker; SHA-256 and SHA-512 are current standards for most applications.
Frequently asked questions
- Which hash algorithm should I use?
- For anything security-related (passwords, signatures), use SHA-256 or SHA-512. MD5 and SHA-1 are fine for quick checksums or non-security use cases like detecting accidental file corruption.
- Is my text sent anywhere?
- No. Hashing happens locally in your browser using the Web Crypto API — nothing is uploaded to a server.
- Can I hash a password to store in my database?
- For password storage specifically, use a dedicated password-hashing algorithm like bcrypt or Argon2 with a per-user salt, not a raw MD5/SHA hash — this tool is meant for general-purpose hashing and checksums.