rclone Hashsum
rclone hashsum produces checksums using a hash algorithm of your choice. It's the universal hash command — unlike md5sum and sha1sum which are locked to one algorithm, hashsum works with whatever your backend supports.
Use hashsum when you need a specific hash type, or when md5sum/sha1sum don't work because your backend uses a different native hash. Run rclone hashsum --help to see available hash types.
Basic Syntax
rclone hashsum HASH_TYPE REMOTE:PATH [flags]
# MD5 hashes
rclone hashsum MD5 remote:my-bucket
# SHA-1 hashes
rclone hashsum SHA-1 remote:my-bucket
# SHA-256 hashes (where supported)
rclone hashsum SHA-256 remote:my-bucket
# Dropbox hash
rclone hashsum DropboxHash remote:dropbox-data
Available Hash Types
| Hash Type | Backends That Support It |
|---|---|
MD5 | S3, GCS, Google Drive, Local |
SHA-1 | OneDrive, Local |
SHA-256 | Some S3 implementations |
DropboxHash | Dropbox |
QuickXorHash | OneDrive, SharePoint |
CRC-32 | Google Cloud Storage |
Whirlpool | Local (computed) |
Use rclone hashsum --help or rclone backend features remote: to discover which hash types your backend supports natively.
Key Flags
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--download | Download files to compute hash locally |
--base64 | Output hashes in base64 instead of hex |
--include PATTERN | Only hash matching files |
--exclude PATTERN | Skip matching files |
--output-file PATH | Write results to file |
Practical Examples
Cross-Backend Verification
# Hash source (local — supports all types)
rclone hashsum MD5 /var/www/html > /tmp/source-hashes.txt
# Hash destination (S3 — supports MD5 natively)
rclone hashsum MD5 backup-s3:my-bucket/www > /tmp/dest-hashes.txt
# Compare
diff /tmp/source-hashes.txt /tmp/dest-hashes.txt
Dropbox Verification
# Dropbox uses its own hash format
rclone hashsum DropboxHash dropbox:important-data > checksums.txt
Output to File
rclone hashsum SHA-1 remote:backups --output-file /var/log/rclone/hashes-$(date +%Y%m%d).txt
Common Pitfalls
| Pitfall | Consequence | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Unsupported hash type for backend | Empty output or error | Check backend documentation for supported types |
| Comparing different hash types | Hashes never match | Use the same hash type for both source and destination |
| Large datasets | Very slow | Filter with --include to limit scope |
What's Next
Examples with Output
1. Generate SHA-256 hashes
Use a modern, secure hashing algorithm on supported backends. Command:
rclone hashsum SHA-256 remote:vault/secrets
Output:
e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855 secrets.db
2. Hash files for Dropbox
Use the native Dropbox hash algorithm for instant verification. Command:
rclone hashsum DropboxHash dropbox:Photos
Output:
89898c8c88c8c8e8d8c8e8d8c8e8d8c8e8d8c8 Vacation.jpg
3. Output hashes in Base64
Match the format expected by some API header requirements. Command:
rclone hashsum MD5 remote:bucket --base64
Output:
1B2M2Y8AsgTpgAmY7PhCfg== file.txt
4. Create hash manifest for S3
Audit a bucket using the most reliable hash supported by the provider. Command:
rclone hashsum MD5 s3-backup:my-bucket > manifest.txt
Output:
(manifest.txt created with MD5 hashes)
5. Complex Whirlpool hash (local)
Use high-entropy hashing for local file integrity checks. Command:
rclone hashsum Whirlpool /var/data
Output:
8e9123... (long Whirlpool hash) data_blob.iso