XOR Checksum Calculator
Calculate an XOR checksum from multiple binary, hexadecimal or decimal values. View every XOR step and get the final checksum in binary, hexadecimal and decimal formats.
| Step | Previous | Next Value | XOR | Running Checksum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enter values to view XOR checksum steps. | ||||
What Is an XOR Checksum?
An XOR checksum is a simple check value created by applying the exclusive OR operation across a sequence of values. Each new value is XORed with the current running checksum until all values have been processed.
The final result can be stored or transmitted alongside data and later recalculated as a basic integrity check.
How to Use the XOR Checksum Calculator
1. Choose Input Format
Select hexadecimal, binary or decimal according to the values you are entering.
2. Choose Width
Select an 8-bit, 16-bit or 32-bit checksum width.
3. Enter Values
Enter two or more values separated by spaces, commas or line breaks.
4. Calculate
The calculator XORs the values sequentially and displays the running checksum after each operation.
XOR Truth Table
| A | B | A XOR B |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 |
XOR Checksum Example
Suppose four hexadecimal bytes need to be combined into an XOR checksum:
A5 XOR 3C = 99
99 XOR F0 = 69
69 XOR 12 = 7B
Final XOR checksum = 7B
The same checksum is 01111011 in 8-bit binary and 123 in decimal.
Running XOR Checksum
The checksum can be calculated progressively. Start with the first value and XOR each subsequent value with the current result.
Running = Running XOR Value2
Running = Running XOR Value3
…
Checksum = Running
This property makes XOR convenient for processing a sequence without needing to keep every previous intermediate value in memory.
Binary XOR Checksum Example
11001100
11110000
10101010 XOR 11001100 = 01100110
01100110 XOR 11110000 = 10010110
Checksum = 10010110
Hex XOR Checksum Example
12 XOR 34 = 26
26 XOR AB = 8D
8D XOR CD = 40
Checksum = 40
XOR Checksum Reference Examples
| Input Values | Format | 8-Bit Checksum |
|---|---|---|
| A5 3C F0 12 | Hex | 7B |
| 12 34 AB CD | Hex | 40 |
| FF 00 FF | Hex | 00 |
| 10101010 11001100 11110000 | Binary | 10010110 |
| 10 20 30 40 | Decimal | 40 |
What Does Checksum Width Mean?
The selected width determines the maximum unsigned value accepted by the calculator and the number of digits used when formatting the final binary and hexadecimal checksum.
| Width | Unsigned Range | Binary Digits | Hex Digits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-bit | 0 to 255 | 8 | 2 |
| 16-bit | 0 to 65,535 | 16 | 4 |
| 32-bit | 0 to 4,294,967,295 | 32 | 8 |
Useful Properties of XOR Checksums
Same Values Cancel
X XOR X equals zero. Identical values therefore cancel when XORed together.
Zero Has No Effect
X XOR 0 equals X, so adding a zero value does not change the checksum.
Order Independent
For a simple XOR checksum, rearranging the same values does not change the final result.
Easy to Recalculate
A running checksum can be updated by XORing another value into the existing result.
XOR Checksum vs CRC
| Feature | XOR Checksum | CRC |
|---|---|---|
| Core operation | Repeated XOR | Polynomial division |
| Complexity | Low | Higher |
| Order sensitivity | No for equal-width value sequence XOR | Yes |
| Error detection | Basic | Generally stronger |
| Generator polynomial | Not required | Required |
Important XOR Checksum Notes
All entered values must fit within the selected checksum width.
For hexadecimal input, enter values such as A5 rather than adding a 0x prefix.
For binary input, enter only 0 and 1.
For decimal input, enter unsigned whole numbers.
Repeating the same value twice cancels it because X XOR X equals zero.
A zero XOR checksum does not prove that the original data is correct. Different data sequences can produce the same XOR checksum.