Data Storage Converter
Convert digital storage between bits, bytes, and both the decimal and binary units.
How to use the data storage converter
Enter a value, pick the unit you are starting from, and choose the unit you want. The result updates as you type, and the swap button flips the two units to convert back the other way.
The dropdown lists both families side by side. Decimal units such as KB, MB, and GB are labeled plainly, and the binary units KiB, MiB, and GiB sit just below, so you can pick the exact one you mean without guessing.
Decimal vs binary: KB and KiB
Storage units come in two flavors that look alike but are not equal. A decimal kilobyte (KB) is 1,000 bytes, scaling by powers of 1,000 up through MB, GB, and TB. A binary kibibyte (KiB) is 1,024 bytes, scaling by powers of 1,024 through MiB, GiB, and TiB.
The gap is small at first and widens fast. One GB is 1,000 MB, while one GiB is 1,024 MiB. By the terabyte range the two diverge by about ten percent. Drive makers and network speeds use the decimal units, while many operating systems count memory and files in binary, which is where the confusion starts.
Why your hard drive shows less space than advertised
Buy a drive sold as one terabyte and your computer may report only about 931 gigabytes. Nothing is missing. The maker counted in decimal, so one TB means 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. The operating system then divides those bytes by 1,024 at each step and labels the answer GB, which is really 931 GiB.
Same bytes, different yardstick. The drive holds exactly what the box promised; the two sides simply use different definitions of the units. This converter lets you switch between them so the numbers line up.
Common storage conversions
| 8 bits | 1 byte |
| 1 KB (decimal) | 1,000 bytes |
| 1 KiB (binary) | 1,024 bytes |
| 1 GB (decimal) | 1,000 MB |
| 1 GiB (binary) | 1,024 MiB |
| 1 TB (decimal) | about 931 GiB |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a bit and a byte?
- A bit is the smallest unit, a single 0 or 1. A byte is eight bits and is the standard block for storing one character of text. File sizes are quoted in bytes, while network and connection speeds are often quoted in bits.
- Why is a kilobyte sometimes 1,000 and sometimes 1,024 bytes?
- There are two conventions. The decimal kilobyte is 1,000 bytes, matching the metric system. The binary kibibyte is 1,024 bytes, matching how computers address memory in powers of two. The KiB, MiB, and GiB names were introduced to keep the two apart.
- Why does my hard drive show less space than advertised?
- Makers label drives in decimal units, where one TB is a trillion bytes. Many operating systems report the same bytes in binary units but still call them GB, so a one TB drive shows as roughly 931 GiB. No space is lost; the units differ.
- Should I use decimal or binary units?
- It depends on the context. Storage marketing, file transfers, and network speeds usually mean decimal. Memory, file managers on many systems, and low-level tools usually mean binary. Match the unit to where your number came from.
- How many megabytes are in a gigabyte?
- In decimal units, one gigabyte is 1,000 megabytes. In binary units, one gibibyte is 1,024 mebibytes. The converter handles both, so pick the family that matches your figure.