SHA-256 Hash Generator
Generate SHA-256 hash values from any text input online. Free, fast, and runs entirely in your browser.
Input
Output
What Is SHA-256 Hashing?
SHA-256 is a member of the SHA-2 (Secure Hash Algorithm 2) family of cryptographic hash functions. It produces a 256-bit (32-byte) hash value, rendered as a 64-character hexadecimal string. SHA-256 is one of the most widely used hash functions in security, blockchain, and data integrity applications.
SHA-256 is considered cryptographically secure and is used in TLS/SSL certificates, Bitcoin mining, digital signatures, and file integrity verification. The algorithm is specified in RFC 6234. This tool computes the SHA-256 hash of your entire input text using the Web Crypto API directly in your browser.
How to Use This Tool
Enter Your Text
Type or paste text into the left editor. You can also click Sample to load example text, or Upload a text file.
View the SHA-256 Hash
The right panel displays the SHA-256 hash of your input automatically. The hash updates in real time as you type.
Copy or Download
Click Copy to copy the hash to your clipboard, or Download to save it as a text file.
Hash Examples
Here is an example of SHA-256 hashing:
Input Text
SHA-256 Hash Output
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SHA-256 secure?
Yes. SHA-256 is currently considered cryptographically secure. No practical collision or preimage attacks have been demonstrated against it. It is widely used in security protocols and cryptocurrency systems.
How is SHA-256 used in Bitcoin?
Bitcoin uses SHA-256 as its proof-of-work mining algorithm. Miners must find a nonce that, when hashed with the block data using SHA-256, produces a hash below a target threshold. Learn more about the Bitcoin block hashing algorithm.
What is a hash function?
A hash function maps data of arbitrary size to a fixed-size output. It is deterministic (same input always yields the same hash), and small changes in input produce vastly different hashes. For a deeper understanding, see SSL.com's hash function FAQ.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. All hashing is performed locally in your browser using the Web Crypto API. No data ever leaves your machine.
Related Tools
References: NIST Cryptographic Standards and Node.js Crypto documentation.