Summary: generate an MD5 hash, free and private
An MD5 hash generator turns any text or file into a 128-bit fingerprint, written as 32 hexadecimal characters. To generate an MD5 hash free and privately, type or paste text into Text Input above, or click Choose File, and the hash appears under MD5. The hashing runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded, and you can check that in the Network tab of DevTools.
The same input always gives the same hash, and any change gives a different one, which is why MD5 checksums are still published beside older downloads. MD5 is defined in RFC 1321 from the IETF. It is broken against deliberate attacks, so treat it as a way to detect accidental damage, not as security. For tamper resistance, use the SHA-256 hash generator.
Table of Use: text inputs and their MD5 hashes
| Input | MD5 hash | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| hello | 5d41402abc4b2a76b9719d911017c592 | The standard example |
| Hello | 8b1a9953c4611296a827abf8c47804d7 | One capital letter gives a completely different hash |
| hello followed by Enter | b1946ac92492d2347c6235b4d2611184 | A line break is part of the input, so the hash differs |
| abc | 900150983cd24fb0d6963f7d28e17f72 | The test string from the MD5 specification |
| The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog | 9e107d9d372bb6826bd81d3542a419d6 | A common test sentence |
| The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. | e4d909c290d0fb1ca068ffaddf22cbd0 | A final full stop gives a completely different hash |
| hello, with Output format set to Base64 | XUFAKrxLKna5cZ2REBfFkg== | The same 16 bytes written in Base64 |
| hello, with Uppercase hex ticked | 5D41402ABC4B2A76B9719D911017C592 | Same value, capital letters |
When MD5 is a reasonable choice
| Job | MD5? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spotting a corrupted or incomplete download | Fine | Accidental damage changes the hash. |
| Finding duplicate files, or making a cache key | Fine | Nobody is attacking the hash. |
| Checking a file against a checksum from a source you trust | Fine for damage, weak against tampering | An attacker who can swap the file can often swap the checksum too. |
| Storing passwords | No | Hashes are far too fast to guess against; use bcrypt, scrypt or Argon2. |
| Signing documents or certificates | No | Collisions can be built on purpose. |
If you are building a password system, the password generator creates strong passwords, but storing them needs a slow, salted password hash rather than MD5 or plain SHA-256.
Features
- Text as UTF-8, exactly as typed. Line breaks count, so hello and hello followed by Enter give different hashes. The hash updates as you type, and the hashing code loads the first time you type or choose a file.
- Files of any type and size. Files are read in 4 MB chunks, so memory use stays small, with a progress bar and a Cancel button.
- Hex or Base64. Output format offers Hex (32 characters) or Base64, and Uppercase hex applies to hex only.
- Compare Hash. Paste the expected hash in any case, with extra spaces, in Base64, or as a whole md5sum or BSD-style line. The result is Hashes match, Hashes do not match, or a message that it is not an MD5 hash.
- Checksum download. For a file, Download saves a line in lowercase hex named after the file, such as notes.zip.md5, which md5sum -c can check. Text hashes download as md5-hash.txt.
- Recent Hashes. The last 10 hashes stay on the page while it is open and disappear when you leave or reload it; Reset does not clear them.
When two hashes of supposedly identical text differ, the text diff tool shows what changed, and the character counter names invisible characters such as zero-width spaces. This page covers plain MD5 only; keyed hashing (HMAC) is offered on the SHA-256 page. To convert a hash or other bytes into text-safe form, use the Base64 encoder and Base64 decoder, and to inspect a digest bit by bit, the hex to binary converter.
How to Use the MD5 Hash Generator
- Type or paste text into Text Input, or click Choose File and pick a file. A file always replaces the text, and typing replaces a file.
- Read the hash in the result box. Under Output format choose Hex or Base64, and tick Uppercase hex if you need capitals.
- To verify a download, paste the published checksum into Compare Hash and read the green or red message.
- Click Copy to put the hash on your clipboard, or Download to save it.
- Click a Recent Hashes entry to show it again. Reset clears the text, the file and Compare Hash; Recent Hashes stay listed until you leave or reload the page.
Who Can Use an MD5 Hash Generator
System administrators and anyone installing older software check a download against the MD5 checksum on the project page. Developers build cache keys and compare Content-MD5 values, and data engineers find duplicate files in a folder by comparing hashes. Support staff match a hash a customer reads out from md5sum on the command line. Developers who also need unique identifiers can use the UUID generator, and the file hash calculator is another way to hash a file.
FAQs
How do I generate an MD5 hash?
Type or paste text into Text Input and its MD5 hash appears as you type. To hash a file, click Choose File: the file is read on your device and its 32-character hash appears when it finishes. Click Copy to copy the hash, or Download to save it, as a .md5 checksum line if it came from a file.
How do I check a file against an MD5 checksum?
Click Choose File, then paste the published checksum into Compare Hash. The tool says "Hashes match." or "Hashes do not match." straight away. Upper or lower case, extra spaces, Base64 and whole lines from md5sum or BSD-style checksum files are all accepted, so you can paste the line exactly as the download page shows it.
Why does my MD5 hash not match the one from md5sum?
The input is different. echo "hello" | md5sum also hashes the line break that echo adds, giving b1946ac92492d2347c6235b4d2611184 instead of 5d41402abc4b2a76b9719d911017c592; use echo -n to leave it out. Windows line endings and invisible characters change the hash too. To match md5sum on a file, hash the file itself with Choose File.
Is MD5 secure?
No. Researchers showed in 2004 that two different inputs can be built with the same MD5 hash, and in 2008 a rogue certificate authority certificate was created this way. Do not use MD5 for passwords, digital signatures or certificates. It is still fine for spotting accidental corruption, finding duplicate files and making cache keys. Use SHA-256 when tampering is a concern.
Can an MD5 hash be reversed or decrypted?
No. MD5 is a one-way function that discards information, so the original input cannot be calculated from the hash. Common inputs such as everyday passwords can still be found by hashing guesses or looking them up in precomputed tables, which is one more reason never to store passwords as plain MD5.
What is the difference between MD5 and SHA-256?
MD5 produces a 128-bit hash, 32 hexadecimal characters, and is broken for security use. SHA-256 produces a 256-bit hash, 64 hexadecimal characters, and has no known practical collision attack. Both run in your browser on any file. Choose SHA-256 unless a system or a published checksum specifically asks for MD5.
Is there a file size limit, and are my files uploaded?
There is no size limit and nothing is uploaded. Files are read in 4 MB pieces and hashed in your browser, so memory use stays small, and a progress bar with a Cancel button shows how far a large file has got. You can confirm that no file leaves your device by watching the Network tab in DevTools while it hashes.
What is a Base64 MD5 hash and when do I need it?
It is the same 16-byte digest written in Base64 instead of hex, so hello becomes XUFAKrxLKna5cZ2REBfFkg== instead of 5d41402abc4b2a76b9719d911017c592. Content-MD5 headers use this form, and some storage APIs report it. Choose Base64 under Output format to get it; Uppercase hex applies only to hex.