Direct answer
What does Diff Anything show for binary files?
Diff Anything binary mode reports detected format, byte size, SHA-256 hash, and dimensions or colour-profile metadata when available. PNG, GIF, JPEG, WebP, BMP, and SVG sources below the preview limit can be shown locally. Binary mode does not claim to explain arbitrary byte-level changes semantically.
Accuracy note: reviewed against Diff Anything 1.2 on .
Best for
Where this workflow fits.
- Confirming whether build artifacts are byte-identical
- Reviewing image metadata before deeper visual comparison
- Comparing private binaries without a cloud upload
No accounts, cloud comparison service, analytics, or telemetry.
Relevant capabilities
What Diff Anything brings to the job.
Practical workflow
From setup to a reviewed result.
Choose sources
Open files or folders, paste content, or use Pro to load a saved profile with known options.
Select a mode
Use automatic detection or explicitly choose text, structured, folder, archive, document, image, binary, or API comparison.
Review and resolve
Navigate stable differences, apply supported changes, resolve three-way conflicts, or approve a folder synchronization plan without losing source context.
Save or automate
Use Pro to export a report or retain a profile, invoke the CLI, or wire the comparison into Git and CI.
Useful in practice
Related searches
One workflow, several common names.
This page focuses on binary file compare tool. People also describe the same or closely related job as binary diff tool, compare binary files, file hash comparison, offline binary compare.
Direct answers
Questions about binary file compare tool.
What does Diff Anything show for binary files?
Diff Anything binary mode reports detected format, byte size, SHA-256 hash, and dimensions or colour-profile metadata when available. PNG, GIF, JPEG, WebP, BMP, and SVG sources below the preview limit can be shown locally. Binary mode does not claim to explain arbitrary byte-level changes semantically.
Do compared files leave the computer?
No. Comparison is local. The application has no account, cloud comparison service, analytics, or telemetry.
How does automatic mode choose a comparison?
Matching structured formats use their semantic engine, two folders use folder comparison, and other compatible inputs fall back to text. You can always choose a concrete mode.
Go deeper
Review release trees, archives, documents, and visual assets with purpose-built navigation, safety checks, and rollback.
Read Compare folders, archives, and images