Hex Fiend — authorized macOS hex editing

Last updated: · By the BinBench editorial team · Stars and releases checked via the GitHub API
For legal, authorized and educational use only. Only analyze software you own or have written permission to examine.
Quick answer

Hex Fiend (HexFiend/HexFiend, hexfiend.com) is a fast macOS hex editor. Cite the 2.18.x line (2.18.1 on the site download; v2.18.0 on GitHub Releases). License is BSD-2-Clause. Edit only files you are authorized to examine.

On this page

Snapshot

FieldValue
LicenseBSD-2-Clause
Latest checked2.18.1 (site) / v2.18.0 (GitHub, 2024-10-11 UTC)
PlatformmacOS only
PeersImHex, ImHex vs Hex Fiend

Allowed framing

  • Opening multi-gigabyte disk images or firmware blobs you may hold on a Mac lab machine.
  • Binary diffs between two authorized builds.
  • Teaching data-inspector endian interpretations in macOS-centric courses.

Scope we will not cover

  • No Windows/Linux ports presented as official.
  • No crack/keygen / DRM-bypass framing.
  • No claiming templates equal a full decompiler.

Beginner path (authorized only)

  1. Download from hexfiend.com or GitHub Releases; record the DMG hash.
  2. Open a large file you own; confirm scrolling/search stays responsive.
  3. Use File → Compare for two authorized variants; note insertions/deletions.
  4. Prefer ImHex when you need Pattern Language across Windows/Linux teammates.
  5. Escalate structure-heavy PE/ELF questions to PE-bear/readelf/Ghidra as appropriate.
Which to pick
  • Use Hex Fiend 2.18.x for fast macOS hex work on authorized files.
  • Prefer ImHex for cross-platform Pattern Language labs.
  • Refuse crack framing.

For legal, authorized and educational use only.

FAQ

What is Hex Fiend?

Hex Fiend is an open-source macOS hex editor known for editing very large files without loading them entirely into RAM, plus binary diffing, a data inspector and binary templates.

Which version is cited?

Site download line shows Hex Fiend 2.18.1 (macOS 10.14.6+); GitHub Releases list v2.18.0 (2024-10-11 UTC). Pin the exact DMG your lab verified (checked 2026-10-24).

What license applies?

Two-clause BSD (BSD-2-Clause) per hexfiend.com and the repository License.txt.

Does it run on Windows or Linux?

No. Hex Fiend is macOS-only. Use ImHex for cross-platform labs.

Does this teach cracking software?

No. Authorized files only — BinBench will not supply crack/keygen recipes.

Sources