File Hash Checker — MD5, SHA-256 & SHA-512 Checksum Verifier

Verify any file's MD5 or SHA checksum locally — no upload, instant integrity check.

100% in your browser — files never uploaded

What a File Hash Is

A hash is a fixed-length fingerprint computed from a file's exact bytes. Change one bit of the file and the hash changes completely. This tool computes MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512 directly in your browser using the Web Crypto API — the file never uploads anywhere.

How to Verify a Download

Software publishers list an official checksum (usually SHA-256) next to their download link. After downloading, drop the file here, compute the same algorithm, and paste the published value into the verify box. A match means the file is byte-for-byte identical to what the publisher released — no corruption, no tampering in transit.

Which Algorithm Should You Use?

SHA-256 is today's standard: fast, collision-resistant, and universally published. SHA-384/512 offer larger digests for high-assurance needs. MD5 and SHA-1 are cryptographically broken for security purposes but remain fine for detecting accidental corruption, and are still what some older sites publish.

Why Verification Matters

Mirrors get compromised, downloads get corrupted, and supply-chain attacks swap legitimate installers for malicious ones. Checking a hash takes ten seconds and is the single easiest integrity check available to any user — no technical background required.

What a Checksum Actually Proves — and What It Doesn't

A matching hash proves the file you have is byte-for-byte identical to the file the publisher hashed — nothing more and nothing less. It does not prove the publisher's own copy was safe, and it cannot detect tampering if an attacker also replaced the published checksum alongside the file, which is why checksums published on the same compromised page as a malicious download offer weaker protection than a signature verified against a separate, trusted key. For ordinary download corruption or an incomplete transfer, though, a hash mismatch catches the problem instantly.

MD5 and SHA-1 Are Broken — Why This Tool Still Offers Them

Cryptographic researchers have demonstrated practical collision attacks against both MD5 and SHA-1, meaning an attacker can in principle craft two different files that share the same hash — a real weakness for security-critical verification. But many older software mirrors, firmware archives, and legacy sites still only publish MD5 or SHA-1 checksums, and for detecting accidental corruption rather than deliberate tampering, either algorithm still works perfectly well. This tool computes both alongside the modern SHA-256/384/512 family so whichever value a publisher listed, there's a match to check it against.

Verifying a File Never Requires Uploading It

Hash computation is a pure local operation on bytes already sitting on your device, so there's no technical reason a checker needs to see the file itself — this tool reads it directly through the Web Crypto API and computes every algorithm inside the browser tab. That matters most for exactly the files people verify: freshly downloaded installers and ISOs that haven't been scanned yet, where sending an unverified file to a third-party server would defeat part of the point of checking it first.

Frequently asked questions

How do I verify a downloaded file with a checksum?

Find the checksum published on the official download page (usually labeled SHA-256 or MD5), drop your downloaded file into this tool, paste the published checksum into the verify box, and the tool instantly shows Match or No match. A match confirms the file is byte-for-byte identical to what the publisher released.

What does it mean if the hashes do not match?

A mismatch means the file differs from the original — most often due to an incomplete or corrupted download. Re-download the file and check again. If it still fails, the file may have been tampered with; download only from the official source and do not run the file.

Which hash algorithm should I use: MD5 or SHA-256?

Use SHA-256 or SHA-512 whenever the publisher provides them — they are the current standard and collision-resistant. MD5 and SHA-1 are fine for detecting accidental corruption but are cryptographically broken, meaning attackers can craft two different files with the same hash.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. Hashing happens 100% inside your browser using the Web Crypto API. Your file never leaves your device — you can even disconnect from the internet after loading the page and the tool keeps working.

Is there a file size limit?

Yes, files up to 2 GB are supported. The file is read into browser memory for hashing, so very large files depend on your device's available RAM. Typical installers, ISOs, documents, and firmware files hash in seconds.