Verify a file's SHA-256 checksum

Use SHA-256 to confirm your download hasn't been tampered with. Compare the computed checksum with the publisher's official value.

Windows PowerShell

Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 path\to\file

macOS

shasum -a 256 /path/to/file

Linux

sha256sum /path/to/file

Compare against checksum file

SHA-256 verification FAQs

FAQs

Do I need to verify every download?
It's strongly recommended for critical software, drivers, and firmware where tampering is risky.
What if the hash doesn't match?
Do not open the file. Download again from the official source and contact the publisher if mismatch persists.
MD5 vs SHA-256?
Use SHA-256 for security-sensitive verification; MD5 is susceptible to collisions.

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