diff --git a/hate_crack.py b/hate_crack.py
index 178655d..7a56b99 100755
--- a/hate_crack.py
+++ b/hate_crack.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ def _sync_globals_to_main():
         "hcatHashFileOrig",
         "pipalPath",
         "debug_mode",
+        "hcatUsernamePrefix",
     ):
         if name in globals():
             setattr(_main, name, globals()[name])
diff --git a/hate_crack/main.py b/hate_crack/main.py
index 9367419..1053d21 100755
--- a/hate_crack/main.py
+++ b/hate_crack/main.py
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ from hate_crack.cli import (  # noqa: E402
 )
 from hate_crack import attacks as _attacks  # noqa: E402
 from hate_crack.menu import interactive_menu  # noqa: E402
+from hate_crack.username_detect import detect_username_hash_format  # noqa: E402
 
 # Import HashcatRosetta for rule analysis functionality
 try:
@@ -354,6 +355,13 @@ else:
             hcatPotfilePath = os.path.join(hate_path, hcatPotfilePath)
 
 
+def _maybe_append_username_flag(cmd):
+    """Append --username if the active hash file has user:hash format and
+    the flag isn't already present (from hcatTuning or elsewhere)."""
+    if hcatUsernamePrefix and "--username" not in cmd:
+        cmd.append("--username")
+
+
 def _append_potfile_arg(cmd, *, use_potfile_path=True, potfile_path=None):
     if use_potfile_path:
         pot = potfile_path or hcatPotfilePath
@@ -367,6 +375,7 @@ def _append_potfile_arg(cmd, *, use_potfile_path=True, potfile_path=None):
             except OSError:
                 pass
             cmd.append(f"--potfile-path={pot}")
+    _maybe_append_username_flag(cmd)
     _debug_cmd(cmd)
 
 
@@ -729,6 +738,7 @@ hcatGenerateRulesCount = 0
 hcatPermuteCount = 0
 hcatProcess: subprocess.Popen[Any] | None = None
 debug_mode = False
+hcatUsernamePrefix: bool = False
 
 
 def _open_wordlist(path):
@@ -1250,16 +1260,21 @@ def _dedup_netntlm_by_username(
 
 
 def _run_hashcat_show(hash_type, hash_file, output_path):
+    cmd = [
+        hcatBin,
+        "--show",
+        # Use hashcat's built-in potfile unless configured otherwise.
+        *([f"--potfile-path={hcatPotfilePath}"] if hcatPotfilePath else []),
+        "-m",
+        str(hash_type),
+        hash_file,
+    ]
+    # If username:hash format was detected, --show also needs --username
+    # to parse the input correctly; otherwise it treats "user:hash" as a
+    # literal hash and finds no matches in the potfile.
+    _maybe_append_username_flag(cmd)
     result = subprocess.run(
-        [
-            hcatBin,
-            "--show",
-            # Use hashcat's built-in potfile unless configured otherwise.
-            *([f"--potfile-path={hcatPotfilePath}"] if hcatPotfilePath else []),
-            "-m",
-            str(hash_type),
-            hash_file,
-        ],
+        cmd,
         stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
         stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
         check=False,
@@ -4940,6 +4955,15 @@ def main():
         _cleanup_preprocessing_temps()
         sys.exit(1)
 
+    # Detect username:hash format to inject --username into hashcat commands.
+    # Skip modes already handled by the NTLM (1000) and NetNTLM (5500/5600)
+    # preprocessing blocks above.
+    global hcatUsernamePrefix
+    if hcatHashType not in ("1000", "5500", "5600"):
+        hcatUsernamePrefix = detect_username_hash_format(hcatHashFile, hcatHashType)
+        if hcatUsernamePrefix:
+            print("[*] Username prefixes detected \u2014 adding --username flag")
+
     # Check POT File for Already Cracked Hashes
     if not os.path.isfile(hcatHashFile + ".out"):
         hcatOutput = open(hcatHashFile + ".out", "w+")
diff --git a/hate_crack/username_detect.py b/hate_crack/username_detect.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f334e5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hate_crack/username_detect.py
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+"""Detect ``username:hash`` format in hashcat input files.
+
+This module owns the allowlist/blocklist of hash modes and the regex-based
+per-line validation used to decide whether to pass ``--username`` to hashcat.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+from typing import Final
+
+# Modes where bare hashes are the normal input AND files commonly carry a
+# ``username:`` prefix. Value is the expected hex length of the hash field.
+USERNAME_HASH_MODES: Final[dict[str, int]] = {
+    "0":    32,   # MD5
+    "10":   32,   # md5($pass.$salt)
+    "20":   32,   # md5($salt.$pass)
+    "30":   32,   # md5(unicode($pass).$salt)
+    "40":   32,   # md5($salt.unicode($pass))
+    "50":   32,   # HMAC-MD5
+    "60":   32,   # HMAC-MD5(key=$pass)
+    "100":  40,   # SHA1
+    "101":  40,   # nsldap/SHA1(Base64)
+    "110":  40,   # sha1($pass.$salt)
+    "120":  40,   # sha1($salt.$pass)
+    "130":  40,   # sha1(unicode($pass).$salt)
+    "140":  40,   # sha1($salt.unicode($pass))
+    "150":  40,   # HMAC-SHA1
+    "160":  40,   # HMAC-SHA1(key=$pass)
+    "900":  32,   # MD4
+    "1000": 32,   # NTLM bare
+    "1400": 64,   # SHA2-256
+    "1410": 64, "1420": 64, "1430": 64, "1440": 64, "1450": 64, "1460": 64,
+    "1700": 128,  # SHA2-512
+    "1710": 128, "1720": 128, "1730": 128, "1740": 128, "1750": 128, "1760": 128,
+    "3000": 16,   # LM (single half)
+}
+
+# Modes explicitly excluded even if they appear in allowlist (they don't, but
+# this constant is the documentation of the intentional blocklist). Binary
+# formats, IKE-PSK, and NetNTLM (already preprocessed elsewhere).
+USERNAME_DETECT_BLOCKLIST: Final[frozenset[str]] = frozenset({
+    "2500", "22000", "2501", "16800", "16801", "22001",  # WPA variants (binary)
+    "5300", "5400",                                       # IKE-PSK
+    "5500", "5600",                                       # NetNTLM (own preprocess)
+    "1800", "3200",                                       # non-hex hash formats
+})
+
+
+def detect_username_hash_format(
+    hash_file: str,
+    hash_type: str,
+    *,
+    sample_size: int = 10,
+) -> bool:
+    """Return True if every sampled non-empty line of ``hash_file`` looks like
+    ``username:<hex_hash>`` with the expected hex length for ``hash_type``.
+
+    Returns False if:
+    - ``hash_type`` is in the blocklist
+    - ``hash_type`` is not in the allowlist
+    - the file is missing/unreadable/empty
+    - any sampled non-empty non-comment line does not match the pattern
+    """
+    if hash_type in USERNAME_DETECT_BLOCKLIST:
+        return False
+    hex_len = USERNAME_HASH_MODES.get(hash_type)
+    if hex_len is None:
+        return False
+
+    pattern = re.compile(rf"^[^:]+:[0-9a-fA-F]{{{hex_len}}}$")
+
+    try:
+        with open(hash_file, "r", encoding="utf-8-sig") as fh:
+            samples: list[str] = []
+            for raw in fh:
+                line = raw.strip().replace("\x00", "")
+                if not line or line.startswith("#"):
+                    continue
+                samples.append(line)
+                if len(samples) >= sample_size:
+                    break
+    except OSError:
+        return False
+
+    if not samples:
+        return False
+
+    return all(pattern.match(line) for line in samples)
diff --git a/tests/test_username_detect.py b/tests/test_username_detect.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7df7e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_username_detect.py
@@ -0,0 +1,367 @@
+"""Tests for the ``username:hash`` format detection and ``--username`` injection.
+
+Covers both the pure-logic ``detect_username_hash_format`` function and the
+command-building integration point in ``_append_potfile_arg`` /
+``_maybe_append_username_flag``.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sys
+import importlib
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Fixtures
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def main_module(monkeypatch):
+    """Load hate_crack.main with SKIP_INIT to access helpers directly."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HATE_CRACK_SKIP_INIT", "1")
+    if "hate_crack.main" in sys.modules:
+        mod = sys.modules["hate_crack.main"]
+        importlib.reload(mod)
+        return mod
+    import hate_crack.main as mod
+
+    return mod
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def detect():
+    """Return the pure-logic detection function."""
+    from hate_crack.username_detect import detect_username_hash_format
+
+    return detect_username_hash_format
+
+
+def _make_mock_proc():
+    proc = MagicMock()
+    proc.wait.return_value = None
+    proc.pid = 12345
+    return proc
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Unit tests: detect_username_hash_format
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class TestDetectPositiveCases:
+    """Per-mode positive cases: sample matches ``user:<hex>`` with correct length."""
+
+    def test_md5_user_hash(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "md5.txt"
+        f.write_text("alice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is True
+
+    def test_sha1_user_hash(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "sha1.txt"
+        f.write_text("alice:5baa61e4c9b93f3f0682250b6cf8331b7ee68fd8\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "100") is True
+
+    def test_sha256_user_hash(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "sha256.txt"
+        f.write_text(
+            "bob:5e884898da28047151d0e56f8dc6292773603d0d"
+            "6aabbdd62a11ef721d1542d8\n"
+        )
+        assert detect(str(f), "1400") is True
+
+    def test_sha512_user_hash(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "sha512.txt"
+        f.write_text(
+            "carol:b109f3bbbc244eb82441917ed06d618b9008dd09b"
+            "3befd1b5e07394c706a8bb980b1d7785e5976ec049b46df"
+            "5f1326af5a2ea6d103fd07c95385ffab0cacbc86\n"
+        )
+        assert detect(str(f), "1700") is True
+
+    def test_ntlm_user_hash(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "ntlm.txt"
+        # Mode 1000 with user:hash shape is a legitimate hashcat input.
+        f.write_text("alice:aad3b435b51404eeaad3b435b51404ee\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "1000") is True
+
+    def test_lm_user_hash(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "lm.txt"
+        f.write_text("alice:aad3b435b51404ee\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "3000") is True
+
+    def test_multiple_lines_all_match(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "md5.txt"
+        f.write_text(
+            "alice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n"
+            "bob:e10adc3949ba59abbe56e057f20f883e\n"
+            "carol:25f9e794323b453885f5181f1b624d0b\n"
+        )
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is True
+
+
+class TestDetectNegativeCases:
+    """Detection must return False on non-matching content."""
+
+    def test_bare_hashes_no_colon(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "bare.txt"
+        f.write_text("5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is False
+
+    def test_wrong_hex_length(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        """SHA1-length hex with MD5 hash type must not match."""
+        f = tmp_path / "wrong.txt"
+        f.write_text("alice:5baa61e4c9b93f3f0682250b6cf8331b7ee68fd8\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is False
+
+    def test_non_hex_field2(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "nonhex.txt"
+        f.write_text("alice:ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is False
+
+    def test_mixed_valid_and_invalid(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        """All sampled lines must match; one bad line fails detection."""
+        f = tmp_path / "mixed.txt"
+        f.write_text(
+            "alice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n"
+            "bob:not_a_hash_at_all\n"
+        )
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is False
+
+    def test_pwdump_format_mode_1000(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        """pwdump (user:RID:LM:NT:::) has a numeric field 2, not hex."""
+        f = tmp_path / "pwdump.txt"
+        f.write_text(
+            "user1:1001:aad3b435b51404eeaad3b435b51404ee"
+            ":31d6cfe0d16ae931b73c59d7e0c089c0:::\n"
+        )
+        assert detect(str(f), "1000") is False
+
+    def test_trailing_garbage_after_hash(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        """Anchored regex must reject lines with extra trailing fields."""
+        f = tmp_path / "trailing.txt"
+        f.write_text("alice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99:extra\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is False
+
+
+class TestDetectBlocklist:
+    """Blocklisted modes must return False regardless of content."""
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        "mode", ["2500", "22000", "5300", "5400", "5500", "5600", "1800", "3200"]
+    )
+    def test_blocklist_modes(self, tmp_path, detect, mode):
+        f = tmp_path / "any.txt"
+        # Content that *looks* like a user:md5-hash, still blocked.
+        f.write_text("alice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), mode) is False
+
+
+class TestDetectUnknownMode:
+    def test_unknown_mode_returns_false(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "x.txt"
+        f.write_text("alice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "99999") is False
+
+
+class TestDetectFileHandling:
+    def test_missing_file(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        assert detect(str(tmp_path / "does_not_exist.txt"), "0") is False
+
+    def test_empty_file(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "empty.txt"
+        f.write_text("")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is False
+
+    def test_only_blank_lines(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "blank.txt"
+        f.write_text("\n\n\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is False
+
+    def test_only_comments(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "comments.txt"
+        f.write_text("# just a comment\n# another\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is False
+
+    def test_blank_leading_lines_skipped(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "b.txt"
+        f.write_text("\n\nalice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is True
+
+    def test_comment_lines_skipped(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "c.txt"
+        f.write_text(
+            "# sample file\nalice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n"
+            "bob:e10adc3949ba59abbe56e057f20f883e\n"
+        )
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is True
+
+    def test_bom_handled(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "bom.txt"
+        f.write_bytes(
+            b"\xef\xbb\xbfalice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n"
+        )
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is True
+
+    def test_crlf_handled(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "crlf.txt"
+        f.write_bytes(b"alice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\r\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is True
+
+    def test_null_bytes_stripped(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "null.txt"
+        f.write_bytes(b"alice\x00:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n")
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is True
+
+    def test_unicode_username(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        f = tmp_path / "u.txt"
+        f.write_text(
+            "alicé:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n", encoding="utf-8"
+        )
+        assert detect(str(f), "0") is True
+
+
+class TestDetectSampleSize:
+    def test_sample_size_honored(self, tmp_path, detect):
+        """With sample_size=3, a later bad line is not read and detection passes."""
+        lines = ["alice:5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99\n"] * 3
+        lines += ["bob:not_a_valid_hash\n"] * 47
+        f = tmp_path / "big.txt"
+        f.write_text("".join(lines))
+        assert detect(str(f), "0", sample_size=3) is True
+        # With sample_size large enough to read the bad lines, it fails.
+        assert detect(str(f), "0", sample_size=10) is False
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Integration tests: --username injection via _append_potfile_arg
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class TestAppendUsernameFlag:
+    """_append_potfile_arg should append --username when hcatUsernamePrefix."""
+
+    def test_append_when_flag_true(self, main_module):
+        cmd = ["hashcat", "-m", "0", "hashes.txt"]
+        with patch.object(main_module, "hcatUsernamePrefix", True), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatPotfilePath", ""), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "_debug_cmd"):
+            main_module._append_potfile_arg(cmd)
+        assert "--username" in cmd
+
+    def test_no_append_when_flag_false(self, main_module):
+        cmd = ["hashcat", "-m", "0", "hashes.txt"]
+        with patch.object(main_module, "hcatUsernamePrefix", False), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatPotfilePath", ""), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "_debug_cmd"):
+            main_module._append_potfile_arg(cmd)
+        assert "--username" not in cmd
+
+    def test_no_duplicate_when_tuning_adds_username(self, main_module):
+        """If --username is already in cmd (e.g. from hcatTuning), don't add a second."""
+        cmd = ["hashcat", "-m", "0", "hashes.txt", "--username"]
+        with patch.object(main_module, "hcatUsernamePrefix", True), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatPotfilePath", ""), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "_debug_cmd"):
+            main_module._append_potfile_arg(cmd)
+        assert cmd.count("--username") == 1
+
+    def test_append_with_use_potfile_path_false(self, main_module):
+        """When potfile handling is disabled, --username must still be injected."""
+        cmd = ["hashcat", "-m", "0", "hashes.txt"]
+        with patch.object(main_module, "hcatUsernamePrefix", True), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "_debug_cmd"):
+            main_module._append_potfile_arg(cmd, use_potfile_path=False)
+        assert "--username" in cmd
+
+
+class TestUsernameInjectionIntoBruteForce:
+    """End-to-end: hcatBruteForce cmd contains --username when flag is set."""
+
+    def test_brute_force_contains_username_when_flag_set(
+        self, main_module, tmp_path
+    ):
+        hash_file = str(tmp_path / "hashes.txt")
+        mock_proc = _make_mock_proc()
+
+        with patch.object(main_module, "hcatBin", "hashcat"), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatTuning", ""), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatPotfilePath", ""), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatUsernamePrefix", True), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "generate_session_id", return_value="sess"), \
+             patch("hate_crack.main.subprocess.Popen", return_value=mock_proc) as mp, \
+             patch.object(main_module, "lineCount", return_value=0):
+            main_module.hcatBruteForce("0", hash_file, 1, 7)
+        cmd = mp.call_args[0][0]
+        assert "--username" in cmd
+
+    def test_brute_force_no_username_when_flag_unset(
+        self, main_module, tmp_path
+    ):
+        hash_file = str(tmp_path / "hashes.txt")
+        mock_proc = _make_mock_proc()
+
+        with patch.object(main_module, "hcatBin", "hashcat"), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatTuning", ""), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatPotfilePath", ""), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatUsernamePrefix", False), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "generate_session_id", return_value="sess"), \
+             patch("hate_crack.main.subprocess.Popen", return_value=mock_proc) as mp, \
+             patch.object(main_module, "lineCount", return_value=0):
+            main_module.hcatBruteForce("0", hash_file, 1, 7)
+        cmd = mp.call_args[0][0]
+        assert "--username" not in cmd
+
+    def test_brute_force_duplicate_guard_via_tuning(
+        self, main_module, tmp_path
+    ):
+        """hcatTuning='--username' with the flag set must not duplicate."""
+        hash_file = str(tmp_path / "hashes.txt")
+        mock_proc = _make_mock_proc()
+
+        with patch.object(main_module, "hcatBin", "hashcat"), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatTuning", "--username"), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatPotfilePath", ""), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatUsernamePrefix", True), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "generate_session_id", return_value="sess"), \
+             patch("hate_crack.main.subprocess.Popen", return_value=mock_proc) as mp, \
+             patch.object(main_module, "lineCount", return_value=0):
+            main_module.hcatBruteForce("0", hash_file, 1, 7)
+        cmd = mp.call_args[0][0]
+        assert cmd.count("--username") == 1
+
+
+class TestUsernameInjectionIntoShow:
+    """_run_hashcat_show should also honor hcatUsernamePrefix so the initial
+    potfile check and combine_ntlm_output correctly parse user:hash files."""
+
+    def test_show_contains_username_when_flag_set(self, main_module, tmp_path):
+        hash_file = str(tmp_path / "hashes.txt")
+        output_path = str(tmp_path / "hashes.out")
+        mock_result = MagicMock()
+        mock_result.stdout = b""
+
+        with patch.object(main_module, "hcatBin", "hashcat"), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatPotfilePath", ""), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatUsernamePrefix", True), \
+             patch("hate_crack.main.subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result) as mr:
+            main_module._run_hashcat_show("0", hash_file, output_path)
+        cmd = mr.call_args[0][0]
+        assert "--username" in cmd
+
+    def test_show_no_username_when_flag_unset(self, main_module, tmp_path):
+        hash_file = str(tmp_path / "hashes.txt")
+        output_path = str(tmp_path / "hashes.out")
+        mock_result = MagicMock()
+        mock_result.stdout = b""
+
+        with patch.object(main_module, "hcatBin", "hashcat"), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatPotfilePath", ""), \
+             patch.object(main_module, "hcatUsernamePrefix", False), \
+             patch("hate_crack.main.subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result) as mr:
+            main_module._run_hashcat_show("0", hash_file, output_path)
+        cmd = mr.call_args[0][0]
+        assert "--username" not in cmd