HashAgent Pro — FAQ

HashAgent Pro is a professional macOS application for comparing files across multiple panels using cryptographic hash functions. It computes a unique fingerprint (hash) for each file and compares those fingerprints across up to 10 independent panels — giving you a definitive, byte-level answer about whether files are identical, modified, or unique to one source. For most workflows, 2–4 panels are sufficient; additional panels are designed for wide-display setups within a single window.

HashAgent Lite is a hash calculator: drag a file or paste text, get its hash value. It is available for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.

HashAgent Pro is a hash comparison tool: load files from multiple sources into up to 10 panels and compare them side by side. It is designed for professional workflows where you need to verify that multiple sets of files are identical (or find what differs). For most users, 2–4 panels cover everyday needs; up to 10 panels are available in a single window for large-scale audits on wide displays. HashAgent Pro is macOS only.

No. HashAgent Pro is a one-time purchase from the Mac App Store. There are no subscriptions, no in-app purchases, and no recurring charges. Once purchased, you own it.

No. All hashing and comparison happens entirely on your Mac. No internet connection is required — ever. Your files and their hashes never leave your computer.

HashAgent Pro itself collects zero data — no analytics, no telemetry, no crash reporting, no usage tracking of any kind.

That said, the app is distributed through the Mac App Store, which is operated by Apple. Apple may collect certain data as part of their platform — purchase records, download statistics, and so on. That is outside our control and governed entirely by Apple's Privacy Policy.

See our Privacy Policy for the full details on what we do and do not collect.

Make sure you are in 2-panel mode (click 2 in the toolbar). Drag the first folder onto Panel 1, and the second folder onto Panel 2. HashAgent Pro will recursively scan both folders and hash all files. Once hashing is complete, use the Diff filter to see files that have been modified, and Unique to see files missing on one side.

Comparison is based on hash values, not file names. A file is marked Match when its hash exists identically in at least one other panel — the file names do not need to match. A file is marked Diff when files with the same name exist in multiple panels but their hashes differ. A file is marked Unique when its hash does not appear in any other panel.

Yes. HashAgent Pro supports up to 10 panels simultaneously, all within a single window. Use the panel count selector in the toolbar to set the number of panels. For most workflows — verifying redundant backups, comparing build artifacts, or auditing deployments — 2–4 panels are sufficient. Additional panels (up to 10) are designed for large-scale audits on wide displays.

Yes. Importing is additive. You can drag additional files or folders onto an existing panel, or click Import in the panel header — the new files are added to the existing list. Use Clear to start fresh.

Any file type. HashAgent Pro reads the raw bytes of the file and computes a hash — it does not interpret the file format. Documents, images, videos, archives, executables, disk images, and any other binary or text file are all supported.

Files smaller than 10 MB are read entirely into memory. Larger files are processed in 1 MB chunks using streaming, keeping memory usage low. All hashing runs in parallel across your available CPU cores.

Actual speed depends on your hardware, the number of open panels, the size and count of files, and whether thumbnails are enabled. For the best throughput on large file sets, use the BLAKE3 algorithm.

A few things affect resource usage significantly:

• Number of panels. Each panel hashes its files independently. More panels mean more CPU and RAM usage running at the same time. If you don't need all panels open simultaneously, reduce the count.
• Thumbnails. Generating previews for images, videos, and PDFs is CPU- and memory-intensive, especially with large file sets or video files. You can disable thumbnails in Settings → General to reduce the load considerably.
• Concurrency setting. In Settings → General you can lower the hashing concurrency from Auto to a fixed number of threads, which reduces CPU load at the cost of throughput.
• Algorithm choice. BLAKE3 is the most efficient algorithm. If you are using SHA-512 or BLAKE2b-512 on a weak machine, switching to BLAKE3 or SHA-256 may help.

HashAgent Pro is designed for modern hardware. Very large file sets across many panels with thumbnails enabled will require a capable machine.

It depends on your goal:

• SHA-256 — best for most use cases. Industry standard, well-supported, secure. This is the default.
• BLAKE3 / xxHash — fastest options. Use when comparing large numbers of big files and speed matters more than algorithm ubiquity. xxHash is not cryptographic.
• SHA-512 / SHA-3 / Keccak / Whirlpool — use for archival or high-security applications where maximum hash strength is required.
• MD5 / SHA-1 — use only when the tool or system you're comparing with requires these specific algorithms. Both are cryptographically broken and shown with a deprecation warning.
• CRC32 / CRC64 — use for quick integrity checks or compatibility with tools that expect CRC values. Not cryptographic.

MD5 and SHA-1 have known cryptographic weaknesses — it is possible to engineer two different files with the same hash (a "collision attack"). This makes them unsuitable for security purposes. HashAgent Pro still includes them for compatibility with older systems and tools that require these specific formats, but shows a warning to help you make an informed choice.

Yes. Selecting a different algorithm from the toolbar dropdown triggers a re-hash of all files in all panels using the new algorithm. The comparison results update automatically once hashing is complete.

A manifest is a saved record of file hashes from a panel — a snapshot you can use later to check what changed. Export one from the panel footer in CSV, JSON, YAML, XML, hashmanifest, SHA256, or other common checksum formats.

Import a manifest to enter Verification Mode and link it to a folder. HashAgent Pro re-hashes that folder and reports every file as one of four statuses:

• Unchanged — the file's hash still matches the manifest.
• Modified — the file exists but its hash no longer matches.
• Missing — the file is listed in the manifest but no longer exists in the folder.
• New — the file exists in the folder but is not in the manifest.

Quick Verify skips re-hashing files whose size and modification date still match the manifest, making re-checks much faster on large folders. Full hash verification re-hashes every file and catches changes that a size/date check would miss (for example, a file edited and saved back with the same size and timestamp).

Yes. A saved manifest is self-contained — it lets you re-verify a backup or archive later even when the original source files are no longer available. Link the manifest to the backup folder directly.

HashAgent Pro can export panel results as CSV, JSON, XML, YAML, Parquet, or common checksum formats. Click the Export button in the panel footer and choose your format. The file is saved to a location you select using the standard macOS save panel.

CSV, JSON, YAML, XML, hashmanifest, and checksum exports can be re-imported later as a verification manifest. Parquet exports are for data analysis and cannot be re-imported as a manifest.

Export includes only the files currently visible in the panel — it respects the active filter (All / Match / Diff / Unique) and the search query. To export all files, switch to the All filter and clear the search field before exporting.

Use the buttons in the panel footer:

• Copy Names — copies file names only, one per line.
• Copy Hashes — copies hash values only, one per line.
• Copy Names & Hashes — copies tab-separated filename + hash pairs, one per line.

On narrow panels, these buttons shrink to icons — hover over them to see their labels.