HashDesk

Changelog

Full release history and version notes for HashDesk – File & Text Checksum Utility (formerly HashGen).

Version 2.1

Latest October 2026

HashGen is now HashDesk. We renamed the app at the request of the maintainers of an older, unrelated GitHub project that was already called HashGen, so the two would no longer be confused. Nothing about how the app works has changed — it’s the same checksum utility under a new name.

Changed

  • Renamed from HashGen to HashDesk everywhere you see it — the window title, navigation pane, About page, help tips, Start menu and Microsoft Store listing (now BackendSide HashDesk)
  • The program file is now HashDesk.exe, and it now carries full product, company and version details in its file properties
  • Refreshed app icon and branding to match the new name

Unchanged

  • Arrives as a normal Microsoft Store update — if you already have HashGen installed, it becomes HashDesk automatically, with nothing to reinstall and no new purchase
  • Every tool, algorithm and option works exactly as it did in 2.0

Version 2.0

June 2026

A major update with a redesigned interface and a much wider feature set — new algorithms, keyed (HMAC) hashing, dedicated verify tools, parallel folder hashing and bulk line-by-line hashing.

Added

  • New algorithms: SHA3-256, SHA3-384, SHA3-512, BLAKE3, CRC-32 and xxHash64 — joining MD5, SHA-1 and SHA-256/384/512 for eleven in total
  • Keyed (HMAC) hashing — add a secret key on the Text, File and Verify pages, including BLAKE3 keyed mode
  • Dedicated verify pages for text, files and folders, with a clear Match / No match result
  • Automatic algorithm detection — paste a hash when verifying and HashDesk highlights the algorithm that matches its length
  • Bulk Hash — hash every line of a text file into a results file, streamed so even very large files are supported; output the source line plus its hash, or the hash only
  • Folder hashing now runs in parallel across CPU cores, with a live per-file log and the option of a single standard checksum file (e.g. SHA256SUMS) or one side-car per file, written to the same or a chosen folder
  • Algorithms are shown as selectable chips, with the legacy insecure ones (MD5, SHA-1) clearly flagged
  • Seven dedicated tools, each on its own page: Text Hash, Text Verify, File Hash, File Verify, Folder Hash, Folder Verify and Bulk Hash
  • File hashing shows file size, elapsed time and throughput, with a cancellable progress bar
  • Hash input is tidied up automatically when verifying — case, extra spaces and a leading 0x prefix are all tolerated
  • A redesigned, modern interface that follows your Windows light or dark theme, with a quick help tip on every page

Changed & Removed

  • Drag-and-drop, live results and copy-to-clipboard refined throughout, with a tighter layout that fits comfortably on smaller screens
  • Removed the old time-limited expiry, so the app no longer stops working after a fixed date

Version 1.0

January 2026

Initial Release

  • Text hashing — instantly hash any typed or pasted text using the selected algorithm
  • Text verification — compare text against a known hash with a safe constant-time comparison
  • Single file hashing with a real-time progress bar
  • Single file verification — hash a file and compare against a pasted checksum, case-insensitive
  • Batch folder hashing with optional subfolder recursion and sidecar hash file output
  • Batch folder verification — re-scan a folder and verify every file against its sidecar hash file
  • Five hash algorithms: MD5, SHA1, SHA256, SHA384, SHA512 — selectable per tab
  • Color-coded results — verified files shown in green, failed in red
  • Fully offline — all hashing runs locally on your machine

Versions