Check a file's SHA-256, MD5, or SHA-1 hash against malware databases and verify file integrity — without ever uploading the file itself. Free, instant, private.
Check a File Hash FreeSHA-256
64 characters
Current standard. Used by most modern software publishers to verify downloads.
MD5
32 characters
Older standard. Still widely used in legacy systems. Not collision-resistant for security, but valid for malware lookup.
SHA-1
40 characters
Deprecated for security but still used in some databases. SafeSearchScan checks all three simultaneously.
A file hash (SHA-256, MD5, SHA-1) is a unique fingerprint of a file's contents. Even a single changed character produces a completely different hash. On Windows: open PowerShell and type "Get-FileHash filename.exe". On Mac/Linux: use "sha256sum filename" in Terminal. You can also use SafeSearchScan's Hash Checker tool — it calculates the hash in your browser and checks it automatically.
Hash-based checking is faster, completely private, and works for large files that would be slow to upload. Your file never leaves your device — only the hash (a 64-character string) is sent. If the hash matches a known malware sample in the database, you get an instant result without any upload.
A hash not found in malware databases means the file hasn't been seen before, or hasn't been flagged yet — not that it's definitely safe. New malware samples are often not in databases for the first 24-72 hours. If you're suspicious, also run the full file scanner which includes behavioral heuristic analysis.
Software publishers often list the official SHA-256 hash of their downloads on their website. Download the file, calculate its hash, and compare it to the published value. If they match exactly, you have an unmodified copy from the official build. If they differ, your download may have been tampered with or corrupted.
Paste a SHA-256, MD5, or SHA-1 hash to check it against malware databases instantly.
File Hash Checker