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${format:vault}

Hash Generator

Input text

Type text above to generate a hash

Supports MD5, SHA-256, and SHA-512 — shows hex and Base64 output

Why use a private hash generator?

Hashing is often done on sensitive input: an API secret you need a fingerprint of, a document you need to prove has not changed, or a file you are about to share. An online hash tool that processes input on its server sees the original, not just the hash.

formatvault computes hashes in your browser. Text and files stay on your device; only the result is shown to you.

How it works

SHA-256 and SHA-512 use the browser's native Web Crypto API, the same implementation browsers use for TLS. MD5 is not part of Web Crypto, so it uses a small bundled JavaScript implementation.

Text is converted to UTF-8 bytes before hashing. Files are read directly as bytes, so the result matches command-line tools like sha256sum and md5sum.

Common use cases

  • Verifying a downloaded installer against its published SHA-256 checksum
  • Fingerprinting an API key or secret without storing the secret itself
  • Checking whether two files are byte-for-byte identical
  • Generating Subresource Integrity values (Base64 SHA-512) for script tags
  • Producing cache keys or ETags while debugging

Frequently asked questions

Which hash algorithms are supported?
MD5, SHA-256, and SHA-512. Each result is shown as hex and Base64, ready to copy.
Can I hash a file?
Yes. Switch to file input and choose a file. It is read locally by your browser and never uploaded, so you can verify large downloads or private documents.
Should I use MD5 or SHA-256?
Use SHA-256 or SHA-512 for anything security-related. MD5 is broken for security purposes because collisions can be produced deliberately, but it is still fine for non-adversarial checks such as cache keys or matching a published MD5 checksum.
Can I use this to hash passwords?
No — and you should not use any of these algorithms on their own for password storage. They are designed to be fast, which makes brute-forcing easy. Use a password hashing function such as Argon2, bcrypt, or scrypt.
Why does my hash differ from another tool's?
Text is hashed as UTF-8 bytes exactly as entered. A trailing newline, different line endings (CRLF vs LF), or another text encoding will change the result.

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