[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":143},["ShallowReactive",2],{"content:en:guides\u002Fwhat-is-md5":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":125,"extension":126,"faq":127,"kind":134,"locale":135,"meta":136,"navigation":137,"path":138,"seo":139,"seoTitle":140,"stem":141,"__hash__":142},"pages\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-is-md5.md","What is MD5? Bytes, 128-bit digests and common misconceptions",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":116},"minimark",[9,14,18,21,25,28,39,42,46,49,52,56,59,62,66,69,73,108],[10,11,13],"h2",{"id":12},"a-fingerprint-of-bytes-not-a-readable-summary","A fingerprint of bytes, not a readable summary",[15,16,17],"p",{},"MD5 stands for Message-Digest Algorithm 5. It takes bytes and produces a fixed 128-bit result. Hexadecimal uses four bits per character, so the usual complete display is 32 characters. The output length does not grow with the input file, and an MD5 value does not contain a reversible encoding of the source.",[15,19,20],{},"A document's visible words are only one possible representation. The saved file may also contain a header, a byte-order mark, embedded images or metadata. To fingerprint that artifact, calculate from its raw bytes. To test a text string, define the character encoding first; this site's text input uses UTF-8.",[10,22,24],{"id":23},"reproduce-a-small-example","Reproduce a small example",[15,26,27],{},"Enter exactly abc without quotes or a final newline. The expected MD5 is:",[29,30,36],"pre",{"className":31,"code":33,"language":34,"meta":35},[32],"language-text","900150983cd24fb0d6963f7d28e17f72\n","text","",[37,38,33],"code",{"__ignoreMap":35},[15,40,41],{},"Now append a space or newline and generate again. The changed digest is normal, not a conversion failure. Clearing the input and deliberately generating computes the empty string, whose MD5 is d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e. The initial waiting state is not itself an empty-string calculation.",[10,43,45],{"id":44},"deterministic-does-not-mean-unique","Deterministic does not mean unique",[15,47,48],{},"The same byte sequence always produces the same result, but a finite 128-bit output cannot uniquely identify every possible input. Distinct inputs can collide. MD5 also has practical collision attacks, which is why it should not underpin modern digital signatures or claims that content cannot be maliciously altered.",[15,50,51],{},"A matching checksum can still help diagnose accidental changes when the reference is appropriate. It does not prove that a file is harmless, that a publisher is authentic, or that the reference was obtained securely. Always keep the trust assumption separate from the numerical match.",[10,53,55],{"id":54},"hashing-encryption-and-guessing","Hashing, encryption and guessing",[15,57,58],{},"Encryption is designed to recover plaintext with a key. MD5 is not designed for that reversible operation. A dictionary or guessing system may recognize familiar inputs by calculating candidates, but that is not an MD5 decryption function. This site does not offer password cracking or lookup dictionaries.",[15,60,61],{},"Fast unsalted MD5 is not a safe password-storage design. Do not enter real account secrets just to see a familiar-looking hash. Use the HMAC tool only when a keyed message-authentication test is the task; HMAC is also not encryption.",[10,63,65],{"id":64},"read-and-preserve-the-complete-result","Read and preserve the complete result",[15,67,68],{},"Uppercase and lowercase hex letters mean the same bytes. Extra characters inside a pasted value, omitted leading zeroes or a missing final segment can make a comparison invalid. Keep the algorithm name with the full result when downloading a record or sending a checksum to someone else.",[10,70,72],{"id":71},"related-tools-and-guides","Related tools and guides",[74,75,76,84,90,96,102],"ul",{},[77,78,79],"li",{},[80,81,83],"a",{"href":82},"\u002F","MD5 Hash Generator",[77,85,86],{},[80,87,89],{"href":88},"\u002Ffile-md5","File checksum calculator",[77,91,92],{},[80,93,95],{"href":94},"\u002Fguides\u002Fmd5-checksum-windows","Check an MD5 file checksum on Windows",[77,97,98],{},[80,99,101],{"href":100},"\u002Fguides\u002Fmd5sum-linux","Use md5sum on Linux: files, manifests and newline checks",[77,103,104],{},[80,105,107],{"href":106},"\u002Fguides\u002Fmd5-vs-sha256","MD5 vs SHA-256: choosing and comparing file hashes",[15,109,110],{},[80,111,115],{"href":112,"rel":113},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.rfc-editor.org\u002Frfc\u002Frfc6151.html",[114],"nofollow","RFC 6151",{"title":35,"searchDepth":117,"depth":117,"links":118},2,[119,120,121,122,123,124],{"id":12,"depth":117,"text":13},{"id":23,"depth":117,"text":24},{"id":44,"depth":117,"text":45},{"id":54,"depth":117,"text":55},{"id":64,"depth":117,"text":65},{"id":71,"depth":117,"text":72},"Understand a 32-character MD5 value, reproduce a controlled example and learn why hashing is not encryption.","md",[128,131],{"question":129,"answer":130},"Why is MD5 displayed as 32 characters if it contains 128 bits?","Each hexadecimal character represents four bits. All 32 characters together represent the complete 128-bit digest; omitted leading zeroes would lose part of that representation.",{"question":132,"answer":133},"Can an MD5 value be decrypted?","No. MD5 is a one-way digest, not reversible encryption. Guessing candidate inputs is a separate task and is not a decryption capability offered by this site.","guide","en",{},true,"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-is-md5",{"title":5,"description":125},"What is MD5? Bytes, 128-bit digests and common misconceptions — md5hash.net","en\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-is-md5","GwpYvGb6gH9i3PGxEaCSajhOtZt-5oevF0oGxRBtffQ",1792048883702]