Data Unit Converter

Convert between Bits, Bytes, KB, MB, GB, and TB instantly.

Standard:

Storage Units (Bytes)

B
KB
MB
GB
TB
PB

Network Units (Bits)

b
Kb
Mb
Gb
Tb
Pb

The Truth About Storage Sizes

Why is my 1TB drive smaller?

You bought a 1 TB hard drive, but Windows says it is only 931 GB. Why?

Manufacturers use the Decimal system (1000 GB = 1 TB).
Windows uses the Binary system (1024 GiB = 1 TiB).

The drive isn't smaller; the measuring stick is different.

Bits vs Bytes

Bits (b) measure speed (like internet bandwidth).
Bytes (B) measure storage (like file size).

8 bits = 1 Byte.
So, a 100 Mbps internet connection downloads at 12.5 MB/s.

Unit Reference Table

Unit Abbr Size (Decimal) Size (Binary)
Bit b 1 bit 1 bit
Byte B 8 bits 8 bits
Kilobyte KB 1,000 B 1,024 B
Megabyte MB 1,000 KB 1,024 KB
Gigabyte GB 1,000 MB 1,024 MB
Terabyte TB 1,000 GB 1,024 GB

Data Unit FAQ

How many MB in a GB?

In the decimal system (used by storage manufacturers), 1 GB = 1000 MB. In the binary system (used by Windows), 1 GiB = 1024 MiB.

Difference between bit and byte?

A bit (b) is the smallest unit (0 or 1). A byte (B) is 8 bits. Internet is bits; storage is bytes.

How to convert Bits to Bytes?

Divide the number of bits by 8. Example: 800 bits / 8 = 100 Bytes.

How to convert Bytes to Bits?

Multiply the number of bytes by 8. Example: 100 Bytes * 8 = 800 bits.

What is a Kibibyte (KiB)?

A Kibibyte (KiB) is a binary unit of data equal to 1024 bytes, distinct from a Kilobyte (KB) which is often 1000.

Why is 1TB only 931GB?

Manufacturers use decimal (1000) math; Windows uses binary (1024) math. The actual byte count is the same.

How many KB in a MB?

1 Megabyte (MB) = 1000 Kilobytes (KB) in decimal, or 1024 KB in binary contexts.

What is a Petabyte?

A Petabyte (PB) is equal to 1000 Terabytes (TB) or 1,000,000 Gigabytes (GB).

How many bits in a Kilobit?

1 Kilobit (Kb) equals 1000 bits.

What comes after Terabyte?

Petabyte (PB), Exabyte (EB), Zettabyte (ZB), and Yottabyte (YB).

Is Mbps the same as MB/s?

No. Mbps is Megabits per second (speed), while MB/s is Megabytes per second (file size). 8 Mbps = 1 MB/s.

How to convert TB to GB?

Multiply by 1000 (decimal) or 1024 (binary). Example: 2 TB = 2000 GB or 2048 GiB.

What does 'k' stand for?

'k' stands for kilo, meaning 1000. However, in computing, it historically meant 1024.

How many GB in a TB?

There are 1000 GB in 1 TB (decimal) or 1024 GiB in 1 TiB (binary).

What is a Nibble?

A Nibble is 4 bits, or half a byte.

How much data is a movie?

A typical HD movie is 4-6 GB. A 4K movie can be 20-50 GB.

How much data is a song?

A high-quality MP3 song is usually between 3 MB and 10 MB.

How much data is a photo?

A smartphone photo is typically 3-5 MB. RAW photos can be 25 MB+.

What is a Mebibyte?

A Mebibyte (MiB) is 1024 Kibibytes, or 1,048,576 bytes.

What is Exabyte?

An Exabyte (EB) is 1000 Petabytes. It is a massive unit of storage used for big data.

Calculate file transfer time?

Use the N28 Bandwidth Calculator. Generally: Size / Speed = Time.

Does formatting reduce size?

Yes, file system structures occupy a small amount of space, reducing usable capacity.

What is a Word in computing?

A Word is the natural unit of data for a processor, typically 32 bits or 64 bits.

Is 1000 GB exactly 1 TB?

In the decimal system (SI), yes. In the binary system (IEC), 1024 GiB = 1 TiB.

What unit does Mac use?

macOS uses decimal (base 10) measurements since Snow Leopard (10.6), so 1 GB = 1000 MB.

What unit does Windows use?

Windows uses binary (base 2) measurements but labels them as standard units (KB, MB), causing confusion.

How many bytes in a KB?

1000 bytes (SI) or 1024 bytes (Binary/Legacy).

What is b vs B?

Lowercase 'b' is bit. Uppercase 'B' is Byte.

How to convert GB to MB?

Multiply by 1000 (or 1024). 5 GB = 5000 MB.

How big is a text file?

Plain text takes 1 byte per character (ASCII). A 1000-word essay is about 5-6 KB.

What is overhead?

Data required for transmission control (headers), which reduces effective throughput.

Gigabits in a Gigabyte?

There are 8 Gigabits in 1 Gigabyte.

What is a Yottabyte?

The largest named unit in the SI system, equal to 1 septillion bytes.

Is cloud storage decimal?

Most cloud providers (Google, Dropbox) use decimal (1GB = 1000MB) for billing clarity.

Binary to decimal size?

Multiply binary size by 1.024 for KB, 1.049 for MB, 1.074 for GB.

What is storage capacity?

The amount of data a storage device can hold, usually measured in GB or TB.

How much RAM do I have?

RAM is typically measured in binary Gigabytes (GiB), displayed as GB.

What is the size of a DVD?

A standard single-layer DVD holds 4.7 GB.

What is the size of a Blu-ray?

A standard single-layer Blu-ray holds 25 GB.

Can I convert PB to TB?

Yes, multiply Petabytes by 1000 (or 1024) to get Terabytes.