Data Storage Converter
Convert between bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, and more data storage units.
Drive makers count in powers of 1,000; operating systems usually count in powers of 1,024. Neither is wrong — it is why a "1 TB" disk reports as roughly 931 GB, and the gap widens at every step up.
Instant insight
That is about 12.5% of a single character
0.125 bytes — One byte of plain text.
Anchors like this are the quickest way to catch an answer that is out by a factor of ten.
A kilobyte is 1,000 bytes — or 1,024
Drive manufacturers use powers of ten; operating systems traditionally use powers of two. That is why a "1 TB" drive shows as about 931 GB.
The unambiguous names are KiB, MiB and GiB for the binary sizes. Check which one a spec means before comparing capacities.
Check the direction of the conversion
Going from bit to byte, the number should get bigger if the new unit is smaller, and smaller if it is bigger.
If it moved the wrong way, the factor has been applied upside down — the most common conversion error there is.
Worked out in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere. Comparison figures are approximate.
Common conversions
Quick Reference — 1 unit = ? Byte (B)
| Unit | Value |
|---|---|
| Bit (b) | 0.125 |
| Byte (B) | 1 |
| Kilobyte (KB) | 1024 |
| Megabyte (MB) | 1048576 |
| Gigabyte (GB) | 1073741824 |
| Terabyte (TB) | 1099511628000 |
| Petabyte (PB) | 1.125900e+15 |
| Kibibyte (KiB) | 1024 |
Formula
Multiply by (from factor / to factor)
Everyday Uses
Phone and cloud plans
"128 GB" phone, "0.5 TB" plan, "50,000 MB" left — convert storage sizes to know what actually fits.
Photo and video budgets
At ~5 MB per photo, how many fit in 64 GB? Convert units to plan trips, backups, and camera cards.
The GB vs GiB mystery
Why does a "1 TB" drive show 931 GB? Decimal versus binary units explained with the exact numbers.
Download planning
A 75 GB game on a 500 GB console with 120,000 MB free — convert everything to one unit and know before you buy.
Phone and drive capacity
Manufacturers count a gigabyte as 1,000 megabytes while your operating system counts 1,024 — which is why a 500 GB drive shows as 465 GB.
Cloud storage plans
Convert between units to compare plans priced per gigabyte against ones priced per terabyte.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bytes are in a kilobyte, megabyte, and gigabyte?
In binary (used by operating systems): 1 KB = 1,024 bytes; 1 MB = 1,048,576 bytes (1,024²); 1 GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes (1,024³); 1 TB = 1,099,511,627,776 bytes (1,024⁴). In decimal (used by hard drive manufacturers): 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. This is why a "1 TB" hard drive shows as ~931 GB in Windows — the OS reports in binary while the manufacturer measures in decimal.
What is the difference between GB (gigabyte) and GiB (gibibyte)?
GB (gigabyte) = 10⁹ = 1,000,000,000 bytes (SI/decimal standard). GiB (gibibyte) = 2³⁰ = 1,073,741,824 bytes (binary standard, IEC 80000-13). The "gibi/mebi/kibi" prefixes (GiB, MiB, KiB) were standardised in 1998 to eliminate ambiguity. In practice: Windows reports storage in GiB but labels it "GB"; macOS switched to decimal GB in OS X 10.6. Networking speeds (Mbps, Gbps) always use decimal (powers of 10).
How much storage do photos, videos, and documents actually use?
Typical file sizes for reference: A smartphone photo (12 MP JPEG) ≈ 3–8 MB. RAW photo (DSLR) ≈ 20–50 MB. 4K video at 30fps ≈ 750 MB–1.5 GB per minute. 1080p HD video ≈ 100–400 MB per minute. A 3-minute MP3 song ≈ 3–8 MB. A Word document ≈ 50–200 KB. A DVD-quality movie ≈ 4.7 GB. A 4K Blu-ray movie ≈ 50–100 GB. With this reference: a 256 GB phone holds roughly 30,000–80,000 JPEG photos or about 3–4 hours of 4K video.
How many bits are in a byte, and why does it matter?
1 byte = 8 bits. A bit (binary digit) is the smallest unit of data — a single 0 or 1. 8 bits = 1 byte can represent 256 different values (2⁸ = 256), enough to encode any character in ASCII. Storage is measured in bytes (B); network speeds are measured in bits per second (bps). This is a critical distinction: a 100 Mbps internet connection transfers at 100 megabits/second = 12.5 MB/second (divide by 8). Always check whether a quoted speed is in bits or bytes.
What is a petabyte and how large are modern data centres?
1 petabyte (PB) = 1,024 terabytes = 10¹⁵ bytes (decimal). 1 exabyte (EB) = 1,024 PB. Scale reference: 1 PB ≈ 11,000+ 4K movies; or 500 billion pages of text; or 20 million filing cabinet drawers. Facebook/Meta stores roughly 100+ petabytes of photos. Google processes ~20 petabytes of data per day. The entire written works of humanity is estimated at about 50 petabytes. Global internet traffic in 2024 exceeds 500 exabytes per year (~1.4 exabytes per day).