UUID Generator — Free Online Tool

Generate UUIDs: v1 (timestamp), v4 (random), v5 (namespace). Bulk UUID generation, validation, format conversion. GUID generator online.

Use this free online UUID Generator directly in your browser. No signup required, no data leaves your device. Part of Utilier — a collection of 133+ developer utilities.

What is UUID Generator (v1, v4, v5, GUID, Bulk Generate, Validate)?

UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) generator creates 128-bit unique identifiers in format 8-4-4-4-12 hex digits (xxxxxxxx-xxxx-4xxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx) with versions: v1 timestamp-based, v4 random secure, v5 namespace SHA-1 hash, validation checking format and version correctness, and bulk generation for multiple IDs at once.

  • UUID v4: Random 122-bit value with 6 fixed bits. Format: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-4xxx-yxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx. Most common, cryptographically random.
  • UUID v1: Timestamp + MAC address based. Sortable by creation time. Reveals MAC address (privacy concern).
  • UUID v5: Namespace + name hashed with SHA-1. Deterministic: same input → same UUID. Use for reproducible IDs.
  • Bulk generate: Create 10, 100, 1000 UUIDs at once. Each guaranteed unique. Copy all as list.
  • Validation: Check format: 8-4-4-4-12 hex, version bits correct. Detects invalid or malformed UUIDs.

Why use uuid generator?

Guaranteed unique IDs without coordination. No database sequence needed.

  • No collisions: UUIDs virtually collision-free (2^122 possible v4 UUIDs). Safe to generate independently.
  • Distributed systems: Generate IDs in multiple systems without conflicts. No central ID server.
  • Database keys: Primary keys without auto-increment. Works with replication, sharding.
  • API identifiers: Request IDs, transaction IDs, session tokens. Unique across services.

When to use uuid generator

Use when unique identifiers needed without centralized coordination.

  • Database primary keys (distributed databases).
  • API request/response IDs.
  • File names (ensure uniqueness).
  • Session tokens.
  • Transaction identifiers.
  • Message queue message IDs.

How to use uuid generator

Select UUID version, generate, copy result.

  1. Select version: v4 (random, most common), v1 (timestamp-based, sortable), v5 (namespace, deterministic).
  2. Generate: Click Generate. Creates new UUID: 123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000.
  3. Bulk generate: Enter count: 100. Generates 100 unique UUIDs. Copy all as list.
  4. Validate UUID: Paste UUID. Check format: valid 8-4-4-4-12 hex, correct version bits.

Key features

  • Multiple versions: v1 (timestamp + MAC), v4 (random), v5 (namespace SHA-1 hash).
  • Bulk generation: Generate 1-10,000 UUIDs at once. Each guaranteed unique.
  • Format options: Lowercase, UPPERCASE, no dashes (32 hex chars), braces {uuid}.
  • Validation: Checks: 8-4-4-4-12 format, hex chars only, version bits (4xxx for v4).
  • Collision-free: Cryptographically random v4. 2^122 possible values (astronomically large).

Common use cases

  • Database IDs: Primary key: id UUID DEFAULT uuid_generate_v4(). No auto-increment, works with replication.
  • File names: Upload file: photo-123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000.jpg. Guaranteed unique name.
  • Session tokens: User session: sessionId = UUID v4. Unique per session, hard to guess.

Examples

UUID examples for different versions.

UUID v4

Generate random UUID
550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000

Random. Notice '4' in 3rd group (version 4).

Bulk generate

Count: 5
123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000
234f5678-f90c-23e4-b567-537725285111
...

5 unique UUIDs generated.

Technical reference

UUID format and version specifications.

Format
8-4-4-4-12 hex digits: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-Mxxx-Nxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx. M = version (4 for v4), N = variant (8, 9, a, b).
v4
122 random bits + 6 fixed (version, variant). Example: 123e4567-e89b-42d3-a456-426614174000 (4 in 3rd group = v4).
v1
Timestamp (60 bits) + clock sequence (14 bits) + MAC address (48 bits). Sortable by time. Privacy: reveals MAC.
v5
SHA-1(namespace UUID + name). Deterministic: same namespace + name → same UUID. Reproducible IDs.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using v1 (exposes MAC address)

Why it happens: UUID v1 includes MAC address (privacy leak). Can identify machine.

How to avoid it: Use v4 (random) for privacy. v1 only if need timestamp sorting.

Frequently asked questions

Can UUIDs collide (duplicate)?

Theoretically yes, practically no. v4 has 2^122 possible values. Collision probability astronomically low (generate trillion/second for 100 years = 50% collision chance).

Should I use UUIDs as database primary keys?

Pros: no sequence, works with replication/sharding, distributed generation. Cons: larger than INT (16 bytes vs 4), slower index lookups, not sortable (v4). Use if need distributed ID generation.

References

Privacy and availability

  • Runs entirely in your browser — zero server processing
  • No signup or account required
  • Works offline once loaded
  • Fast, lightweight, no external dependencies
  • Available as a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox