# Compute the SHA-256 of a file

> Get the SHA-256 fingerprint of any file. Same value you'd get from shasum -a 256 in a terminal.

Open the tool: https://yourbrowsercandoit.com/hash-file

Compute SHA-256 of any file. Free, no signup. Runs entirely in your browser; files are never uploaded.

## How it works

Drop any file. The Web Crypto API computes SHA-256 in your browser, returning a 64-character hex digest. Useful for verifying a download matches the publisher's checksum, deduplicating files, or proving a file hasn't changed between two points. The same file produces the same hash everywhere: in this tool, in a terminal (shasum -a 256, openssl dgst -sha256, sha256sum), or in any SHA-256 library. The hash function is one-way, you can't recover the file from the hash. There's no file size limit; the algorithm streams over the file via crypto.subtle.digest. Copy the hash with one click and paste it where you need.

## How to use it

1. **Drop your file.** Any file type and size works — hashing streams over the bytes locally.
2. **Read the digest.** The 64-character SHA-256 hex digest appears, identical to shasum -a 256 output.
3. **Copy and compare.** Copy the hash with one click and compare it to the publisher's checksum to verify the download.

## Frequently asked questions

### What hash algorithm does this use?

SHA-256 via the Web Crypto API. The output matches shasum -a 256, openssl dgst -sha256, and the sha256sum utility.

### Is my file uploaded for hashing?

No. Web Crypto runs in the browser, the file's bytes never leave your device.

### Can I verify a download checksum with this?

Yes. Compute SHA-256 here, compare to the value published by the source. If they match, the file is intact.

### Why SHA-256 and not MD5?

MD5 is broken (collisions are easy). SHA-256 is the modern standard. For other algorithms applied to text, see Hash text.

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