SHA-256 Hash Text or File

Generate SHA-256 hash for text input or file upload. Calculate secure cryptographic checksums for data integrity verification and security purposes

Input
Paste or type any UTF-8 text, including emoji and non-Latin characters.
Hash Result
Hash result for the current text input.

Hexadecimal

Base64

Decimal

Binary

What is SHA-256?

SHA-256 (Secure Hash Algorithm 256-bit) is a cryptographic hash function that produces a 256-bit (32-byte) hash value, typically rendered as a 64-character hexadecimal number. It is part of the SHA-2 family of hash functions designed by the NSA and published by NIST.

Key characteristics:

  • Deterministic: The same input always produces the same hash
  • Fast computation: Quick to compute for any given input
  • Avalanche effect: Small changes in input produce drastically different outputs
  • Irreversible: Computationally infeasible to reverse the hash to find the original input
  • Collision resistant: Very difficult to find two different inputs that produce the same hash

Common uses:

  • Digital signatures and certificates
  • Blockchain and cryptocurrency (Bitcoin uses SHA-256)
  • Password storage (with proper salting)
  • File integrity verification
  • Proof of work algorithms