How do I calculate the Argon2id hash of a file?

Click the upload area or drag and drop your file onto the page. The tool will read the file content, generate a random salt, and calculate its Argon2id hash using the recommended hybrid algorithm. The hash is computed by processing the entire file through Argon2id with default secure parameters: 3 iterations (time cost), 4096 KB memory cost, and parallelism of 1. The output includes the full Argon2id hash string with encoded parameters, salt, and hash value. You can then copy the hash for verification or key derivation purposes. All hashing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript—your file is never uploaded to any server, ensuring complete privacy. For large files, hashing may take several seconds as Argon2id is intentionally slow (memory-hard) to resist brute-force attacks. The tool shows file details including name, type, size, and the resulting Argon2id hash string. For images, you will see a preview before hashing to verify you selected the correct file. Argon2id is the recommended variant combining Argon2i (data-independent, side-channel resistant) and Argon2d (data-dependent, GPU-resistant) for maximum security. The hash format includes all parameters needed for verification, making it perfect for password-based key derivation and secure file authentication.

What file types can I calculate Argon2id hashes for?

You can calculate Argon2id hashes for absolutely any file type—images (JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, SVG, BMP), documents (PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, CSV, MD), archives (ZIP, RAR, TAR, GZ), audio files (MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG), video files (MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV), executables, databases, fonts, code files, configuration files, and more. Argon2id hashing works at the binary level, processing raw file bytes through the memory-hard algorithm to produce a unique hash. The hash is calculated from file content, not the filename or metadata, so renaming a file does not change its hash. However, unlike fast hashes (SHA-256, MD5), Argon2id is specifically designed for password-based key derivation, not general file hashing. For typical file integrity verification, use SHA-256 or SHA-512 instead—they are faster and designed for that purpose. Use Argon2id for files when you need password-based encryption key derivation, secure file encryption with user passwords, encrypted backup verification requiring password authentication, or situations where you want to derive cryptographic keys from file content combined with a password. Argon2id provides resistance to GPU attacks and side-channel attacks, making it ideal for scenarios where an attacker might try to brute-force the file hash. The memory-hard design (default 4 MB RAM requirement) prevents massive parallelization on GPUs or ASICs. For general-purpose file hashing and checksums, use SHA family algorithms. For password-based key derivation from files, Argon2id is the recommended choice with superior security compared to PBKDF2 or bcrypt.

Why use Argon2id for file hashing instead of other algorithms?

Argon2id should only be used for file hashing in specific scenarios involving password-based key derivation, not general-purpose file integrity verification. Unlike fast hash functions (SHA-256, SHA-512, BLAKE2) designed for file checksums, Argon2id is intentionally slow and memory-intensive to resist brute-force attacks. Use Argon2id for files when deriving encryption keys from passwords combined with file content, encrypting files where the encryption key is derived from a user password, creating password-protected archives or containers, or implementing secure file authentication requiring password verification. Argon2id advantages for these scenarios include: memory-hard algorithm requiring 4 MB+ RAM per hash (prevents GPU attacks), hybrid design combining Argon2i and Argon2d (resists both side-channel and GPU attacks), configurable parameters to increase security over time, and winner of Password Hashing Competition 2015. However, for typical file integrity verification, download verification, duplicate detection, or file checksums, use SHA-256 or SHA-512 instead—they are 1000 times faster and designed specifically for data integrity. Argon2id is not designed for speed; it is designed for password security. Do not use Argon2id if you need fast file hashing, are verifying download integrity, or are creating file checksums without password authentication. Use Argon2id only when combining file content with password-based key derivation. The slow, memory-intensive nature is a feature for password security but a disadvantage for general file operations. Choose the right tool for the task: SHA-256 for file integrity, Argon2id for password-based key derivation.

Is there a file size limit for Argon2id hashing?

There is no hard file size limit, but practical browser memory limitations and hashing time apply. Argon2id is significantly slower than fast hash functions, so large files will take considerable time to process. Most browsers can handle files up to 100 MB, but hashing a 100 MB file with Argon2id may take 30 seconds or more depending on your computer's performance and the memory cost parameter. Argon2id requires the entire file to be read into memory, plus the configured memory cost (default 4096 KB or 4 MB) for the hashing algorithm itself. The tool processes files efficiently in your browser using a JavaScript implementation of Argon2id optimized for WebAssembly where supported. For very large files (over 500 MB), consider using command-line tools which can handle unlimited file sizes and may have optimized native implementations. The resulting Argon2id hash is always a fixed length regardless of file size—typically 64 hexadecimal characters (256 bits) plus the encoded parameters and salt in the full hash string. Keep in mind that Argon2id is designed for password hashing, not general file hashing—it is intentionally slow to prevent brute-force attacks. If you need to hash large files quickly, use SHA-256 or SHA-512 instead. Argon2id is appropriate for small to medium files (under 10 MB) where you need password-based key derivation. For file sizes over 100 MB, the hashing time becomes impractical in a browser environment. All processing happens locally in your browser for privacy, but available RAM and CPU performance determine practical file size limits. Consider your use case: if speed matters, use SHA-256. If password-based security matters, use Argon2id with smaller files.

How do I use Argon2id file hashes for encryption?

Argon2id file hashes are perfect for deriving encryption keys from passwords to encrypt/decrypt files. The process works like this: to encrypt a file, generate a random salt (16+ bytes), hash the user password with the salt using Argon2id to derive an encryption key, encrypt the file content with the derived key using AES-256-GCM or ChaCha20-Poly1305, and store the salt alongside the encrypted file (salt is not secret). To decrypt, retrieve the stored salt, hash the user password with the same salt and Argon2id parameters to regenerate the encryption key, decrypt the file content with the regenerated key, and if the password was correct the key matches and decryption succeeds. Argon2id advantages for key derivation include: the memory-hard algorithm makes password brute-forcing extremely expensive, hybrid design resists GPU and side-channel attacks, configurable parameters let you increase security over time, and the same password with different salts produces different keys (preventing precomputed attacks). Important implementation notes: never use the Argon2id hash directly as an encryption key—use proper key derivation output, always generate a unique random salt per file (never reuse salts), store the salt in plaintext with the encrypted file (it is not secret), include Argon2id parameters in the stored data so you can verify with the same settings, and use authenticated encryption (AES-GCM, ChaCha20-Poly1305) to detect tampering. This approach provides strong protection: even if an attacker steals the encrypted file and salt, they must brute-force the password through Argon2id's memory-hard algorithm—infeasible for strong passwords. Use at least 12+ character passwords with mixed character types. Popular implementations: Python cryptography library with Argon2 KDF, Node.js crypto with argon2 package, Java Spring Security with Argon2PasswordEncoder, and OpenSSL command-line tools. This tool helps you understand the process—for production encryption, use established cryptography libraries with proper authenticated encryption.

What are the performance implications of Argon2id for files?

Argon2id is intentionally slow and memory-intensive, which is perfect for password security but has significant performance implications for file hashing. With default parameters (iterations equals 3, memory equals 4096 KB), hashing typically takes 50 to 200 milliseconds for small inputs (under 1 KB). For files, performance depends on file size and Argon2id parameters. A 1 MB file might take 5 to 10 seconds, a 10 MB file might take 30 to 60 seconds, and a 100 MB file could take 5+ minutes. This is drastically slower than SHA-256 (which processes hundreds of MB per second). The slowness is intentional—it prevents attackers from testing billions of passwords per second. Argon2id uses significant RAM: the default 4096 KB memory cost means each hash operation requires 4 MB of RAM. Higher security settings (memory equals 65536 KB or 64 MB) multiply the RAM requirement and time proportionally. Performance tuning: increasing iterations increases time linearly (2x iterations equals 2x time), increasing memory cost increases both time and RAM usage, and parallelism can use multiple CPU cores but does not improve sequential performance. For file hashing use cases: if you need speed for checksums or integrity verification, use SHA-256 (1000x faster). If you need password-based key derivation with maximum security, use Argon2id despite the performance cost. The security benefit is worth the wait. Browser implementations are slower than native code—JavaScript Argon2id is approximately 3 to 5 times slower than optimized C implementations. For production systems, use native libraries. The performance cost is the entire point of Argon2id: it makes brute-force attacks prohibitively expensive. An attacker trying to crack a password must perform the same expensive computation for each guess. This is a security feature, not a bug. Balance security needs with performance requirements when choosing between fast hashes and memory-hard password functions.

Can I verify files using Argon2id hashes?

Argon2id file verification works differently than traditional hash verification (SHA-256, MD5). Because Argon2id uses a random salt, the same file will produce a different hash each time—you cannot compare hashes directly like with deterministic hash functions. Argon2id verification requires the original hash string (containing parameters and salt), the file content, and optionally a password (if used for key derivation). The verification process extracts the salt and parameters from the stored hash, rehashes the file with the same salt and parameters, and compares the new hash with the stored hash. If identical, the file content matches. This approach is useful for encrypted file systems where files are authenticated with Argon2id-derived keys, password-protected archives verifying file integrity, and blockchain or cryptographic applications using Argon2id for proof-of-work. However, for typical file verification scenarios (download integrity, duplicate detection, file checksums), do not use Argon2id—use SHA-256 or SHA-512 instead. Those algorithms are deterministic (same file always produces same hash) and thousands of times faster. Argon2id is designed for password hashing, not general data hashing. The random salt and slow performance make it unsuitable for most file verification use cases. Use Argon2id for files only when you specifically need password-based authentication or key derivation combined with file content. For everything else, use fast cryptographic hashes. Important note: Argon2id does not provide file integrity verification in the traditional sense because the hash changes each time. It provides password-based authentication—verifying that someone with the correct password and file content can regenerate the hash. This is fundamentally different from verifying a file matches a known checksum. Choose the right tool: SHA-256 for integrity, Argon2id for password-based authentication.

Is my file safe when using this Argon2id calculator?

Yes, absolutely safe! All Argon2id hashing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your file is never uploaded to any server, never transmitted over the internet, and never stored anywhere except temporarily in your browser memory during the hashing process. Once you close or refresh the page, all data is immediately cleared from memory. This client-side approach ensures complete privacy—even the most sensitive files (financial documents, personal photos, proprietary information, encryption keys, confidential contracts, classified source code) can be safely hashed without leaving your device. The tool uses a JavaScript implementation of Argon2id (often compiled from reference C code to WebAssembly) running entirely in your browser. You can verify this by disconnecting from the internet after loading the page—the tool continues working. Browser developer tools can show no network requests are made when hashing. Argon2id produces a one-way hash—you cannot reverse the hash to recover the original file. The hash is just a cryptographic fingerprint derived from file content and a random salt. However, if someone has both your file and the hash, they can verify the file matches. Treat Argon2id hashes with appropriate care based on file sensitivity. The random salt ensures the same file produces different hashes each time, providing additional privacy—observers cannot tell if two hashes came from the same file. For production file encryption systems, always use server-side Argon2id with established cryptography libraries, never hash sensitive files client-side in production applications, and implement proper key management and secure storage. This tool is perfect for learning, testing, and understanding Argon2id behavior—not for production file encryption. All processing happens locally—secure, private, and immediate.

What are the differences between using Argon2id for text vs files?

Argon2id works identically for text and files at the algorithmic level—both are processed as binary data. However, there are important practical differences in usage and intent. For text (passwords): input is typically short (8 to 64 characters), hashing is fast (50 to 200 milliseconds), use case is password storage and verification, random salt is generated per password, hash output is stored in database for login verification, and verification compares user input password hash with stored hash. For files: input can be large (KB to GB), hashing time increases with file size (seconds to minutes), use case is password-based key derivation or file authentication, random salt is generated per file, hash output is used for encryption keys or stored for verification, and verification compares file content hash with stored hash using the same salt. Key differences in practice: text hashing is designed for passwords (8 to 128 characters), file hashing processes entire file content (potentially millions of bytes), text hashing happens on every login (must be fast, 50 to 500 milliseconds acceptable), file hashing may happen rarely (slower performance is acceptable), and text hashing stores hash in database for repeated verification, while file hashing may derive encryption keys used immediately. Both use the same Argon2id algorithm with same parameters (iterations, memory, parallelism), both use random salts to prevent precomputed attacks, both are memory-hard and resistant to GPU attacks, and both produce cryptographically secure output. The difference is primarily in the input size and intended use case. For password hashing, input is user-provided text. For file-based key derivation, input is file binary content. The security properties and algorithm are identical. Choose based on your use case: hash user passwords with the text tool, derive encryption keys from file content with the file tool. Both provide the same Argon2id security guarantees—winner of Password Hashing Competition 2015, resistant to GPU and side-channel attacks, and recommended by security experts.

When should I use Argon2id for files vs SHA-256?

Choose the algorithm based on your specific security requirements and performance needs. Use SHA-256 (or SHA-512) for files when verifying download integrity (checking files match published checksums), detecting duplicate files (same file always produces same hash), creating file checksums for backup verification, hashing large files quickly (hundreds of MB per second), implementing file deduplication in storage systems, or any scenario where speed matters and password security is not required. SHA-256 is deterministic (same file always produces same hash), extremely fast (suitable for GB-sized files), and designed specifically for data integrity verification. Use Argon2id for files when deriving encryption keys from passwords combined with file content, encrypting files with password-based authentication, creating password-protected archives or containers, implementing proof-of-work systems requiring memory-hard computation, or any scenario where you need to combine file content with password verification. Argon2id is non-deterministic (random salt means different hash each time), intentionally slow (prevents brute-force attacks), and designed specifically for password security and key derivation. Key decision factors: if no password is involved, use SHA-256. If password security is required, use Argon2id. If speed is important, use SHA-256. If attack resistance is more important than speed, use Argon2id. If verifying file has not changed, use SHA-256 (deterministic). If deriving encryption keys from password plus file, use Argon2id. Common mistake: using Argon2id for file checksums—this fails because random salts make comparison impossible. Use SHA-256 for checksums. Common mistake: using SHA-256 for password-based encryption—this is insecure because SHA-256 is too fast for passwords. Use Argon2id for password-based key derivation. Both algorithms have their place: SHA-256 for fast data hashing, Argon2id for slow password security. Use the right tool for your specific requirements.