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Hash Generator

Generate MD5 & SHA-256 hashes from text

Paste any text and instantly compute its MD5 and SHA-256 message digests, with one-click copy — all computed in your browser.

MD5
MD5 hash will appear here.
SHA-256
SHA-256 hash will appear here.

About the hash generator

A cryptographic hash function takes an arbitrary amount of text and produces a fixed-length fingerprint called a digest. The same input always produces the same digest, while even a tiny change to the input produces a completely different one. Hashes are used for checksums, data integrity checks, password storage, and digital signatures.

This tool computes two common digests side by side: MD5 (128-bit, 32 hex characters) and SHA-256 (256-bit, 64 hex characters). SHA-256 is the cryptographically stronger choice; MD5 is fast and widely supported but no longer considered secure against collision attacks.

Notes

  • UTF-8 safe — non-ASCII text and emoji are hashed by their UTF-8 byte representation.
  • SHA-256 uses the native Web Crypto API for speed and correctness.
  • One-way — hashes cannot be reversed back to the original text.

How to use the hash generator

  1. Paste your text

    Type or paste any text into the input box — a single character or a whole document.

  2. Read the digests

    The MD5 and SHA-256 hashes appear instantly below as hexadecimal strings.

  3. Copy a hash

    Click Copy next to either digest to copy it to your clipboard.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between MD5 and SHA-256?
MD5 produces a 128-bit (32-character) digest and is fast but no longer secure against collisions. SHA-256 produces a 256-bit (64-character) digest and is the recommended choice for any security-sensitive use.
Can a hash be reversed to recover the original text?
No. Hash functions are one-way by design. You can recompute a hash to verify input matches, but you cannot derive the input from the digest alone.
Is my text sent to a server?
No. Both MD5 and SHA-256 are computed entirely in your browser, so sensitive text never leaves your device.
Why does my hash differ from another tool for the same text?
Most often the other tool hashed a different byte representation (for example, UTF-16 instead of UTF-8) or included a trailing newline. This tool hashes the exact UTF-8 bytes you paste.
Which hash should I use for passwords?
Neither MD5 nor plain SHA-256 is ideal for password storage. Use a dedicated slow key-derivation function such as bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2 in your backend instead.

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