# Check a File's Hash (SHA-256, MD5)

Make sure a download is complete and genuine: calculate its SHA-256, SHA-1 or MD5 fingerprint and compare it with the one the publisher lists. Paste theirs and you get a clear match or no match.

_Source: https://sharelargefilesfree.com/tools/file-hash-checker · Updated 2026-09-29_

## How to use it

1. Choose or drop the file or files to check.
2. Keep SHA-256 ticked (add SHA-1 or MD5 if the site lists those).
3. Paste the published hash to compare, if you have one.
4. Press Calculate hashes; copy the values or save the checksum list.

## What a hash tells you

A hash is a fingerprint calculated from every byte of a file. Change a single bit and the hash changes completely. When a software site, a colleague or a backup lists the SHA-256 of a file and yours matches, you have exactly the same file: not truncated by a broken download, not altered on the way.

## SHA-256, SHA-1 or MD5?

| Type | Length | Use |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SHA-256 | 64 characters | The standard today for downloads and integrity checks. |
| SHA-1 | 40 characters | Older software lists and Git; fine for spotting damage, not for security. |
| MD5 | 32 characters | Legacy checksums; detects accidental damage but can be forged. |

Paste any of them in the compare box: the type is recognised by its length, and spaces, colons and upper case are ignored.

## Large files, calculated locally

Files are read in 4 MB slices in a background thread, so a 2 GB disk image is hashed without filling your memory, on a phone or a computer, at roughly 100 MB per second on a modern laptop. The files never leave your device. The checksum list uses the same “hash, two spaces, file name” format as `sha256sum`, so it can be checked later with `sha256sum -c`. Sending files you want the other side to check? [Split file](https://sharelargefilesfree.com/tools/split-file) adds SHA-256 checksums automatically.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I check the SHA-256 of a file?

Add the file, keep SHA-256 ticked and press Calculate hashes. Paste the published value first to get a match or no-match answer.

### The hash does not match. What now?

Download the file again, ideally from the official site. A mismatch means the file differs from the published one: incomplete, damaged or replaced.

### Is there a size limit?

Files up to 2 GB each. They are read in pieces, so memory is not a problem.

### Is the result the same as sha256sum or certutil?

Yes. It is the standard SHA-256, SHA-1 and MD5, identical to sha256sum, md5sum, certutil and Get-FileHash.

### Are my files uploaded?

No. The hashes are calculated on your device.