Data Storage Converter

Convert between bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, petabytes, and binary units (KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB).

Value

From

Common Data Storage Conversions

From	To	Result
1 Byte	Bits	8 bits
1 KB	Bytes	1,000 B
1 KiB	Bytes	1,024 B
1 MB	KB	1,000 KB
1 MiB	KiB	1,024 KiB
1 GB	MB	1,000 MB
1 GiB	MiB	1,024 MiB
1 TB	GB	1,000 GB

Frequently Asked Questions

A Gigabyte (GB) uses SI decimal prefixes: 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes (10⁹). A Gibibyte (GiB) uses binary prefixes: 1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes (2³⁰). Hard drive manufacturers use GB (decimal), while operating systems like Windows report in GiB, which is why a "500 GB" drive shows as ~465 GiB.

In SI (decimal): 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes. In binary: 1 MiB (mebibyte) = 1,048,576 bytes (2²⁰). The difference is about 4.86%. Storage manufacturers use the decimal MB, while RAM and OS file sizes typically use the binary MiB convention.

A petabyte (PB) = 10¹⁵ bytes = 1,000 terabytes = 1,000,000 gigabytes. To put this in perspective, 1 PB could store roughly 200 million songs, or 1.5 billion MP3 files. Major data centers store data in petabytes; the internet generates many petabytes of data daily.

Drive manufacturers label capacity using decimal GB (1 GB = 10⁹ bytes), but operating systems report using binary GiB (1 GiB = 2³⁰ bytes = 1.074 × 10⁹ bytes). A 1 TB drive holds 10¹² bytes, which your OS reports as ~931 GiB. This is not missing space — it is a measurement convention difference.

A megabyte (MB) uses decimal SI prefixes: 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes. A mebibyte (MiB) uses binary prefixes: 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes (2²⁰). The ~4.86% difference matters in storage and memory contexts. RAM is always measured in MiB (powers of 2), while internet data transfer and storage marketing use MB (powers of 10).

Approximately 200–500 photos fit in 1 GB, depending on resolution and format. A JPEG from a modern smartphone is typically 3–5 MB, so 1 GB holds about 200–333 photos. RAW files from a DSLR can be 20–50 MB each, fitting only 20–50 per GB. Video is far larger — 1 minute of 4K video can be 400 MB to 2 GB.

Internet speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps) because network hardware transmits data one bit at a time. Storage is measured in megabytes (MB) because file sizes are reported in bytes. Since 1 byte = 8 bits, a 100 Mbps connection downloads at about 12.5 MB/s. Broadband providers use Mbps because the numbers sound larger.

No — a 500 GB SSD or HDD shows as ~465 GiB in your operating system because manufacturers use decimal GB while OSes report in binary GiB. SSDs also reserve additional space for wear leveling and over-provisioning (typically 7–28% of raw NAND capacity), further reducing usable space compared to the labeled size.

Streaming data usage depends on quality: SD (480p) ≈ 0.7 GB/hour, HD (1080p) ≈ 3 GB/hour, 4K Ultra HD ≈ 7–25 GB/hour on services like Netflix. Music streaming uses about 40–160 MB/hour. Video calls on Zoom use roughly 0.5–1.5 GB/hour depending on video quality.

Both are called "gigabyte" but mean different things: Decimal GB = 10⁹ = 1,000,000,000 bytes (used by storage manufacturers and the SI system). Binary GiB (gibibyte) = 2³⁰ = 1,073,741,824 bytes (used by operating systems and RAM). The IEC introduced the binary prefixes (KiB, MiB, GiB) in 1998 to eliminate this ambiguity, but "GB" is still widely used for both.

About This Data Storage Converter

This free data storage converter converts between bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, and their binary equivalents (KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB). Both SI (decimal, base-10) and IEC (binary, base-2) prefixes are supported.

Knowing the distinction between MB (megabyte, 1,000,000 bytes) and MiB (mebibyte, 1,048,576 bytes) matters when comparing storage device capacities, RAM specifications, and file sizes across operating systems.

When to use this converter

Comparing hard drive and RAM capacities across manufacturers
Calculating download sizes and estimated transfer times
Understanding SI vs IEC binary prefix differences

Standards & References

How It Works

Enter Size

Enter the data size. All conversions use the bit as the base unit for maximum precision.

Choose Units

Select from decimal (KB/MB/GB) and binary (KiB/MiB/GiB) units. Both systems are fully supported.

Instant Result

Conversion results appear instantly. The factor shown makes it easy to verify the calculation manually.

Common Use Cases

Storage Planning

Calculate storage requirements for file servers, cloud storage, databases, and backup systems by converting between GB and TB.

Network & Bandwidth

Convert between megabits and megabytes to understand internet speed vs. file size. ISPs rate in Mb/s while files are measured in MB.

Mobile & Apps

Understand app sizes, mobile data usage, and photo/video storage requirements by converting between MB and GB.

Cloud & Hosting

Compare cloud storage plans and hosting quotas by converting between GB and TB to find the best value for your needs.

Video Production

Estimate storage needs for raw video footage — 4K video can use 1–6 GB per minute depending on codec and bitrate.

Software Development

Convert buffer sizes, memory allocations, and file size limits in code between bits, bytes, and larger units.

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