Hashes do not match — do not install this file

The verifier’s fail string is literal: hashes do NOT match. This page is that error — not a generic “be careful” essay.

Security Guides · 6 min · Updated Aug 2026 · Expert

If the comparer says hashes do NOT match, do not install the wallet file. The computed SHA-256 and the expected string differ — truncated download, wrong preset, or a replaced binary.

Re-run the same file below. If it still fails against the vendor digest, delete it. Do not search “hashes do not match ignore.”

Do this now

  1. Stop the installer. Do not click the .exe/.dmg. If it is already running, do not enter a seed. See fake wallet triage if you already typed words.
  2. Re-hash on this page with the right preset. Wrong preset (Exodus vs Electrum) produces a guaranteed fail. Select the wallet that matches the filename, or paste the digest from the vendor’s release page.
  3. Re-download from the official host only. Electrum: download.electrum.org. Then hash again. Two failures in a row means you are not going to “fix” it by disabling antivirus.

Message → cause → fix

What you seeCauseFix
Hashes do NOT match (this tool)Digest ≠ expectedDelete file; official re-download; confirm preset
No file hash computed yetYou compared without dropping a fileDrop the installer first
Please enter or select an expected hashEmpty expected boxPick a catalog wallet or paste vendor SHA-256
Match, but vendor page shows another versionCatalog snapshot lagPaste the vendor’s current digest; trust vendor over us
A one-character difference is a different file. Do not “round” hashes. SHA-256 is not fuzzy matching.

What a mismatch cannot tell you

The tool cannot name the malware family. It cannot prove your disk is clean. It only reports inequality of two hex strings.

It also cannot repair the file. There is no “patch checksum” step.

Why matching still is not authenticity: what SHA-256 cannot prove.
Live artifact · preset electrum_windows

Catalog hash loads from WalletGuard’s wallet database. Confirm the same string on the developer’s signed release before you install.

Hash this file in the browser

Nothing is uploaded. Web Crypto SHA-256 stays on this device.

·
SHA-256

Compare to the catalog hash

This page pre-selects electrum_windows. Switch wallets if you grabbed a different build.

Preset hash: loads from catalog

No file selected yet.

Open the full verifier with this preset →

Frequently asked questions

What does “hashes do NOT match” mean in WalletGuard?

The SHA-256 of the file you dropped is not the same as the expected string (catalog preset or pasted digest). Treat the file as untrusted and delete it.

Could it be a false alarm?

Yes if you selected the wrong wallet in the dropdown or hashed a different OS build. No if the filename, preset, and vendor digest all refer to the same artifact and still differ.

I already ran the installer. Now what?

Do not enter a seed. Uninstall. Follow the fake-wallet recovery guide. Reinstall only from the official host after a match.

Open verifier · electrum_windows