SHA-256 Hash Generator
Generate 64-character SHA-256 hashes from text or files. The recommended online hash generator for secure checksums and data integrity.
SHA-256 Hash
64 hex characters (256 bits)Enter text and click Generate to create a SHA-256 hash
File SHA-256 Hash
Drop a file here or click to select
Max 50 MB
Select or drag a file above to compute its SHA-256 checksum. Processing happens entirely in your browser when possible.
Other Hash Algorithms
Related SHA-256 Tools and Guides
What is SHA-256?
SHA-256 (Secure Hash Algorithm 256-bit) is a cryptographic hash function from the SHA-2 family, producing a 256-bit (32-byte) hash value. This SHA256 hash generator creates secure checksums for text and files, and SHA-256 is widely used in Bitcoin, TLS, digital signatures, code signing, and software verification.
How This Page Processes Input
Text and files on this page are hashed in your browser with
SubtleCrypto using SHA-256; they are not uploaded by this tool.
The supported browser digest names are defined by the
W3C Web Cryptography specification.
SHA-1 and SHA-2 are specified in NIST FIPS 180-4; SHA-3 is specified in NIST FIPS 202. For workflows and limitations, see file hash verification, HMAC, and hashing versus encryption.
How SHA-256 Works
SHA-256 processes data in 512-bit blocks through 64 rounds of compression. It maintains a 256-bit state (eight 32-bit words initialized to the first 32 bits of the fractional parts of the square roots of the first 8 primes). Each round applies sigma functions, majority/choice functions, and adds a round constant derived from cube roots of the first 64 primes.
Output
64 hex characters (256 bits)
Year
2001
Status
✓ Secure
Common Use Cases
- Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining
- TLS/SSL certificate verification
- Digital signatures (ECDSA with SHA-256)
- Code signing and software verification
- File integrity verification
- Data deduplication and content addressing
Security Considerations
SHA-256 has no known practical attacks. The best theoretical attack reduces security from 256 bits to approximately 254.9 bits, which is negligible. SHA-256 is approved by NIST, NSA, and is the backbone of Bitcoin's security model. It is considered safe for all current applications.
SHA-256 vs Other Algorithms
SHA-256 offers the best balance of security and performance in the SHA-2 family. It's twice as fast as SHA-512 on 32-bit systems but slightly slower on 64-bit systems. Compared to SHA-3-256, SHA-256 is faster in software but SHA-3 offers a different internal structure as a hedge against SHA-2 vulnerabilities.