File Checksum Calculator

Hash functions are commonly used to verify a file’s integrity and ensure it has not been tampered with en route to its destination. Hashes are generated by the distributor and recipient, and only if these values match can the file be deemed safe.

File Checksum Calculator is a small and very simple application that can both help you generate hash values and compare them. It is easy to use, though it does need some small improvements.

To get started, simply launch the program and load the file you wish to analyze. MD5, SHA-1 and SHA-256 hashes will be generated pretty much instantly and displayed in the main window.

Unfortunately, though, the application does not offer support for drag and drop. If you have to work with lots of files, navigating to their location every single time can be very time-consuming.

Once the checksums have been calculated using the supported functions, you can attempt to match them to an available hash value provided by the software developer or distributor.

All you have to do is copy the checksum to the clipboard, paste it in the Hash field and click Verify. If any of the values match, they will be highlighted with a green background.

File Checksum Calculator only supports three hash functions, but they are very popular, so this shouldn’t be an issue for most users. Nevertheless, it would have been great if more were supported.

On the whole, this application can prove very useful if you need a quick way to generate hash values and compare them with existing checksums. It is very novice-friendly, featuring an intuitive user interface, but the lack of support for drag and drop is a time-consuming issue.