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File Hash Checker

SHA-256, SHA-1, SHA-512 and MD5 of a Download, Matched Against the Published Checksum

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How the File Hash Checker works

This file hash checker calculates the SHA-256, SHA-1, SHA-384, SHA-512 and MD5 hashes of any file and compares them with the checksum a publisher lists next to a download. Paste the expected hash and it tells you straight away whether the file you have is byte-for-byte the one they released.

How the file hash checker verifies a download

A cryptographic hash turns a file into a short fingerprint. Change one bit of the file and the hash changes completely, so a matching hash shows the download was not corrupted or swapped. The checker reads the file in your browser, hashes it with the Web Crypto API and compares the result with the value you paste, ignoring case and spaces.

With All selected, the checker works out which algorithm the expected hash uses from its length: 32 hex characters is MD5, 40 is SHA-1, 64 is SHA-256, 96 is SHA-384 and 128 is SHA-512. That hash is listed first. A hash only proves the file matches the value you compared it with, so take the expected hash from the publisher's own site over HTTPS, ideally a signed release page.

FAQ

Where do I find the expected hash?

Most projects publish it beside the download link or in a file named SHA256SUMS, checksums.txt or <file>.sha256. For a file with several entries, use the checksum verifier, which reads the whole list and checks every file you drop in against it.

Is MD5 still good enough for checking downloads?

MD5 and SHA-1 still catch accidental corruption, but attackers can craft collisions for both, so they do not prove a file was not tampered with. Prefer SHA-256 when the publisher offers it, and treat an MD5 match as a check for a damaged download rather than a security guarantee.

How large a file can I check?

The whole file is read into memory, so files up to a few gigabytes work on most computers. For very large disk images, run shasum -a 256 file on macOS or Linux, or certutil -hashfile file SHA256 on Windows, and paste both values here to compare them.

See also: all Security & Identifiers tools, Dev Utilities, Formatters & Validators, Data & Encoding, SEO, Accessibility, AI.

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