diff --git a/conda/models/match_spec.py b/conda/models/match_spec.py
index 63bb7a1c6d9..0feeb3d0ace 100644
--- a/conda/models/match_spec.py
+++ b/conda/models/match_spec.py
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ class MatchSpec(metaclass=MatchSpecType):
       - version
       - build
     must be given as exact values.  In the future, the namespace field will be added to this list.
-    Alternatively, an exact spec is given by '*[md5=12345678901234567890123456789012]'.
+    Alternatively, an exact spec is given by '*[md5=12345678901234567890123456789012]'
+    or '*[sha256=f453db4ffe2271ec492a2913af4e61d4a6c118201f07de757df0eff769b65d2e]'.
     """
 
     FIELD_NAMES = (
@@ -158,6 +159,7 @@ class MatchSpec(metaclass=MatchSpecType):
         "features",
         "url",
         "md5",
+        "sha256",
         "license",
         "license_family",
         "fn",
diff --git a/docs/source/configuration.rst b/docs/source/configuration.rst
index addb21b002c..d8b409f4075 100644
--- a/docs/source/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/source/configuration.rst
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Conda configuration
 ===================
 
-.. program-output:: cd .. && python -c 'import os; import sys; src_dir = here = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname("../setup.py")); sys.path.insert(0, src_dir); import conda.cli.main_config; print(conda.cli.main_config.describe_all_parameters())'
+.. program-output:: python -c 'import conda.cli.main_config; print(conda.cli.main_config.describe_all_parameters())'
    :shell:
diff --git a/docs/source/user-guide/concepts/pkg-search.rst b/docs/source/user-guide/concepts/pkg-search.rst
index e20e48be55d..25461328f52 100644
--- a/docs/source/user-guide/concepts/pkg-search.rst
+++ b/docs/source/user-guide/concepts/pkg-search.rst
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ example image. The search below will return the same list of packages as the sta
 
    $ conda search "numpy[channel=conda-forge, subdir=linux-64, version=1.17.*, build=py38*]"
 
+This notation supports the following key-value pairs:
+
+.. program-output:: python -c 'import conda.models.match_spec as M; print("-", "\n- ".join([f"{field:20} # validated via {M._implementors.get(field, M.ExactStrMatch).__name__}" for field in sorted(M.MatchSpec.FIELD_NAMES)]))'
+   :shell:
+
 Key-value pair notation can be used at the same time as standard notation.
 
 .. code-block:: none
diff --git a/news/12707-sha256-matchspec b/news/12707-sha256-matchspec
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..af77d5d515b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/12707-sha256-matchspec
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+### Enhancements
+
+* Add support for `sha256` filters in the MatchSpec syntax
+  (e.g. `*[sha256=f453db4ffe2271ec492a2913af4e61d4a6c118201f07de757df0eff769b65d2e]`).
+  (#12654 via #12707)
+
+### Bug fixes
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Deprecations
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Docs
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Other
+
+* <news item>
diff --git a/tests/models/test_match_spec.py b/tests/models/test_match_spec.py
index ca97e624cba..0bb00beed6c 100644
--- a/tests/models/test_match_spec.py
+++ b/tests/models/test_match_spec.py
@@ -1216,32 +1216,37 @@ def test_build_number_merge(self):
         with pytest.raises(ValueError):
             MatchSpec.merge(specs)
 
-    def test_md5_merge_with_name(self):
-        specs = (
-            MatchSpec("python[md5=deadbeef]"),
-            MatchSpec("python=1.2.3"),
-            MatchSpec("conda-forge::python[md5=deadbeef]"),
-        )
-        merged = MatchSpec.merge(specs)
-        assert len(merged) == 1
-        assert str(merged[0]) == "conda-forge::python=1.2.3[md5=deadbeef]"
-
-        specs = (
-            MatchSpec("python[md5=FFBADD11]"),
-            MatchSpec("python=1.2.3"),
-            MatchSpec("python[md5=ffbadd11]"),
-        )
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
-            MatchSpec.merge(specs)
-
-    def test_md5_merge_wo_name(self):
-        specs = (MatchSpec("*[md5=deadbeef]"), MatchSpec("*[md5=FFBADD11]"))
-        merged = MatchSpec.merge(specs)
-        assert len(merged) == 2
-        str_specs = ("*[md5=deadbeef]", "*[md5=FFBADD11]")
-        assert str(merged[0]) in str_specs
-        assert str(merged[1]) in str_specs
-        assert str(merged[0]) != str(merged[1])
+    def test_hash_merge_with_name(self):
+        for hash_type in ("md5", "sha256"):
+            specs = (
+                MatchSpec(f"python[{hash_type}=deadbeef]"),
+                MatchSpec("python=1.2.3"),
+                MatchSpec(f"conda-forge::python[{hash_type}=deadbeef]"),
+            )
+            merged = MatchSpec.merge(specs)
+            assert len(merged) == 1
+            assert str(merged[0]) == f"conda-forge::python=1.2.3[{hash_type}=deadbeef]"
+
+            specs = (
+                MatchSpec(f"python[{hash_type}=FFBADD11]"),
+                MatchSpec("python=1.2.3"),
+                MatchSpec(f"python[{hash_type}=ffbadd11]"),
+            )
+            with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+                MatchSpec.merge(specs)
+
+    def test_hash_merge_wo_name(self):
+        for hash_type in ("md5", "sha256"):
+            specs = (
+                MatchSpec(f"*[{hash_type}=deadbeef]"),
+                MatchSpec(f"*[{hash_type}=FFBADD11]"),
+            )
+            merged = MatchSpec.merge(specs)
+            assert len(merged) == 2
+            str_specs = (f"*[{hash_type}=deadbeef]", f"*[{hash_type}=FFBADD11]")
+            assert str(merged[0]) in str_specs
+            assert str(merged[1]) in str_specs
+            assert str(merged[0]) != str(merged[1])
 
     def test_catch_invalid_regexes(self):
         # Crashing case via fuzzing found via fuzzing. Reported here: https://github.com/conda/conda/issues/11999