🔍 Hex File Viewer
Professional hex file viewer that displays binary file content as hexadecimal values alongside ASCII interpretation. Perfect for developers, security analysts, and system administrators who need to examine file structure, debug binary formats, or investigate file corruption.
Hex File Analysis:
example.jpg → Hex Dump Preview (2,048 bytes)
Binary file analysis • 16 bytes per line • ASCII interpretation
📄 File Information
🔤 Hex Dump Output
🔍 File Analysis
FF D8 FF E0 (JPEG)
16 bytes per line
Dots for non-printable
How to Use This Hex File Viewer
How to Use the Hex File Viewer
Step 1: Upload Your File
Click "Choose File" and select any file from your computer. The tool accepts all file types including images, documents, executables, archives, and binary data files. Maximum file size is 10MB for optimal performance.
Step 2: Choose Display Format
Select how many bytes to display per line: 8 bytes for compact view, 16 bytes for standard view (most common), or 32 bytes for wide screen viewing. 16 bytes per line is recommended for most use cases.
Step 3: Set ASCII Mode
Choose how non-printable characters appear in the ASCII column: dots (.) for clarity, spaces for minimal display, or raw characters (may cause display issues). Dots mode is recommended for readability.
Step 4: Generate Hex View
Click "Generate Hex View" to process your file. The tool will display the hex dump with offset addresses, hexadecimal values, and ASCII interpretation side-by-side for easy analysis.
Step 5: Copy or Download
Use the Copy button to copy the hex dump to your clipboard, or download it as a text file for documentation, sharing, or further analysis in other tools.
How It Works
How the Hex File Viewer Works
Binary File Processing Pipeline
The Hex File Viewer uses JavaScript's File API and ArrayBuffer to process binary files directly in your browser:
- File Reading: Your file is read into memory as an ArrayBuffer using the FileReader API
- Byte Extraction: Each byte is extracted from the buffer and converted to hexadecimal representation
- Offset Calculation: Memory addresses are calculated to show the exact position of each byte
- ASCII Conversion: Bytes are interpreted as ASCII characters, with non-printable characters handled according to your settings
- Formatting: Data is formatted into rows with offset, hex values, and ASCII interpretation
- Display: The formatted hex dump is rendered with syntax highlighting and copy/download functionality
Hex Dump Format Explanation
The output follows the standard hex dump format used by tools like hexdump and od:
- Offset Column: Shows the byte position in hexadecimal (00000000, 00000010, etc.)
- Hex Values: Each byte displayed as two-digit hexadecimal (00-FF)
- ASCII Column: Text representation of bytes, with dots for non-printable characters
Browser-Based Security
All processing happens locally in your browser - no files are uploaded to servers. This ensures privacy and security while providing professional-grade hex analysis capabilities.
When You Might Need This
- • Software developers analyzing binary files and executables for reverse engineering projects
- • Debug firmware and embedded system files by examining raw byte content and structure
- • Security analysts investigating suspicious files and malware samples for threat assessment
- • Network administrators examining packet dumps and network protocol data for troubleshooting
- • Data recovery specialists checking file headers and metadata corruption in damaged files
- • Forensic investigators analyzing digital evidence and file artifacts in criminal cases
- • Game developers inspecting save files and game asset formats to understand data structures
- • Database administrators examining database file corruption and binary structure issues
- • System administrators troubleshooting configuration files with encoding issues and hidden characters
- • Students learning about file formats, data structures, and binary representation in computer science courses
Frequently Asked Questions
What file types can I view with the hex viewer?
The hex viewer supports all file types - images, executables, documents, archives, media files, configuration files, and any binary data. There's no restriction on file format since it displays the raw binary content as hexadecimal values regardless of the file type.
Is there a file size limit for uploads?
Yes, there's a 10MB file size limit for optimal browser performance. Larger files could cause memory issues or browser freezing. For files larger than 10MB, consider using a desktop hex editor or splitting the file into smaller chunks for analysis.
What does the ASCII column show and how should I interpret it?
The ASCII column shows the text representation of each byte. Printable ASCII characters (letters, numbers, symbols) are displayed normally, while non-printable characters are shown as dots (.) by default. This helps identify text content, file headers, and readable strings within binary data.
Can I copy or download the hex dump output?
Yes, you can copy the entire hex dump to your clipboard using the Copy button, or download it as a text file. The output includes offset addresses, hex values, and ASCII interpretation, formatted exactly as displayed on screen for use in documentation or further analysis.
How do I interpret the hex addresses and offsets?
The leftmost column shows the byte offset in hexadecimal format (e.g., 00000000, 00000010). This tells you the exact position of each byte within the file. Each row represents a consecutive block of bytes, making it easy to locate specific data or calculate file positions.