Hashing
SHA-256 hash generator
SHA-256 hash generator returns the 64-character SHA-256 digest of any text you paste, computed entirely in your browser. It is the default integrity check for downloads, config files, and release artifacts, and its output matches sha256sum and OpenSSL exactly. Every result is lowercase hex, always 64 characters, with an "Iterations" option that re-hashes the previous digest.
How to use SHA-256
- Open SHA-256 in the Toolbox101 app.
- Paste the text or value to hash into the
Inputbox. - Keep
Iterationsat1for a plain SHA-256 hash. A higher number hashes the previous digest (its raw bytes) again that many times. - The 64-character digest appears in the
Outputbox as you type. - Click
Copyto copy the digest, then compare it against your reference checksum.
Worked example
SHA-256 returns the output below for this input.
Input
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dogOutput
d7a8fbb307d7809469ca9abcb0082e4f8d5651e46d3cdb762d02d0bf37c9e592Check it yourself: open SHA-256 and enter the same input.
Frequently asked questions
Why is every SHA-256 hash 64 characters?
SHA-256 output is a 256-bit digest, or 32 bytes, and two hex characters encode each byte, so the result is always 64 characters of lowercase hex, no matter the input size. The empty string hashes to e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855 in every conforming implementation.
Is SHA-256 safe for storing passwords?
No. SHA-256 is a fast hash, and fast means trivially parallel brute-force at billions of guesses per second. Password storage needs a deliberately slow key-derivation function (bcrypt, Argon2, or scrypt with a per-user salt), not a general-purpose digest. Use this tool for checksums and data fingerprints.
Is SHA-256 or SHA-512 better for checksums?
Both are collision-resistant members of the SHA-2 family, and either verifies integrity reliably. SHA-256's 64-character digest is the common default, while SHA-512's 128-character output appears in stricter environments and is often faster on 64-bit processors. Pick whichever your publisher or team standard specifies.
How do I check a SHA-256 sum I found online?
Hash the exact text or file content and compare every character with the published digest: hex comparison is case-insensitive. This tool hashes pasted text; for a downloaded binary, run sha256sum or shasum -a 256 on the file and compare the two outputs directly.