How to Use the Data Storage Converter

Enter a storage value, select the data unit you are converting from and choose the unit you want to convert to. The result updates automatically.

The converter supports both decimal SI units and binary IEC units.

Supported units include:

• Bits;
• bytes;
• kilobytes (KB);
• megabytes (MB);
• gigabytes (GB);
• terabytes (TB);
• petabytes (PB);
• kibibytes (KiB);
• mebibytes (MiB);
• gibibytes (GiB);
• tebibytes (TiB); and
• pebibytes (PiB).

Data Storage Conversion Table

What Is the Difference Between a Bit and a Byte?

A bit is a single binary digit that can represent either 0 or 1.

A byte is made up of eight bits.

Therefore:

How Many Bytes Are in a Kilobyte?

Using decimal SI units:

Using binary IEC units:

KB and KiB are therefore not exactly the same measurement.

How Many Kilobytes Are in a Megabyte?

Using decimal units:

Using binary units:

How Many Megabytes Are in a Gigabyte?

Using standard decimal SI storage units:

Using binary IEC units:

How Many Gigabytes Are in a Terabyte?

In binary units:

How Many Terabytes Are in a Petabyte?

For binary units:

KB vs KiB

A kilobyte and a kibibyte are different:

• 1 KB = 1,000 bytes;
• 1 KiB = 1,024 bytes.

The difference is small at the kilobyte level but becomes more significant as storage capacity increases.

MB vs MiB

• 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes;
• 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes.

Therefore:

GB vs GiB

A gigabyte uses the decimal system, while a gibibyte uses the binary system.

• 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes;
• 1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes.

Therefore:

and:

TB vs TiB

• 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes;
• 1 TiB = 1,099,511,627,776 bytes.

Therefore:

Why Does a 1 TB Drive Sometimes Show Less Than 1 TB?

Storage manufacturers commonly advertise drive capacity using decimal units. For example:

If software displays the same byte count using binary units:

This difference is mainly caused by different unit conventions rather than the storage physically disappearing.

How to Convert GB to MB

Using decimal SI units:

For example:

How to Convert MB to GB

For example:

How to Convert GB to GiB

Convert gigabytes to bytes and divide by 1,073,741,824.

For example:

How to Convert GiB to GB

For example:

Data Storage vs Data Transfer Speed

Storage capacity and transfer speed are different measurements.

Storage usually uses units such as:

• MB;
• GB;
• TB;
• MiB; and
• GiB.

Network speeds commonly use bits per second, such as Mbps or Gbps.

Because one byte contains eight bits:

For example, 800 megabits is equivalent to 100 megabytes before considering protocol overhead or time.

Data Storage Converter for Files

Typical file sizes vary widely depending on format, quality and compression. Examples may include:

• Text documents — kilobytes to megabytes;
• photos — several megabytes;
• music files — several megabytes;
• HD video — hundreds of megabytes to gigabytes;
• 4K video — potentially many gigabytes; and
• software or games — gigabytes to hundreds of gigabytes.

Data Storage Converter for Cloud Storage

Cloud-storage plans are commonly advertised using gigabytes or terabytes. For example:

• 100 GB;
• 200 GB;
• 1 TB;
• 2 TB; or
• larger enterprise capacities.

This converter can help compare those capacities with MB, GB, TB and binary units.

Data Storage Converter for SSDs and Hard Drives

Drive manufacturers commonly use decimal capacity units.

Common advertised sizes include:

• 256 GB;
• 512 GB;
• 1 TB;
• 2 TB;
• 4 TB; and
• 8 TB.

The usable capacity visible in an operating system may also be affected by formatting, partitions, reserved space and the unit convention used to display capacity.

Common Data Storage Conversions

Data Storage Converter Assumptions

This converter uses:

• 1 byte = 8 bits;
• 1 KB = 1,000 bytes;
• 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes;
• 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes;
• 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes;
• 1 KiB = 1,024 bytes;
• 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes;
• 1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes;
• 1 TiB = 1,099,511,627,776 bytes; and
• 1 PiB = 1,125,899,906,842,624 bytes.

Displayed results may be rounded for readability. Very large values can also be subject to normal JavaScript floating-point limitations.

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