Bits to Bytes Converter
Convert bits to bytes instantly — 1 byte = 8 bits. Understand why 100 Mbps internet downloads at 12.5 MB/s. Converts both directions.
About the Bits to Bytes Converter
This free bits to bytes converter divides by 8 — the number of bits in one byte. Enter bits to get bytes, or bytes to get bits, with the result updating live in both directions.
The distinction matters most for internet speeds: providers advertise megabits per second (Mbps, lowercase b) while downloads show megabytes per second (MB/s, uppercase B). A 100 Mbps connection tops out at 12.5 MB/s, which is why a 1 GB file takes about 80 seconds, not 10. The same confusion appears with mobile data plans, router specs and network transfer estimates.
Use the reference table for common values — 8, 16, 32 and 64 bits map to 1, 2, 4 and 8 bytes, the building blocks of data types in programming.
How to Use the Bits to Bytes Converter
- 1Enter a number of bits — bytes appear instantly.
- 2Or type bytes to convert back to bits.
- 3Copy the result, or check the table of common values.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bits are in a byte?
There are exactly 8 bits in 1 byte. A bit is a single binary digit (0 or 1); a byte groups eight of them and can represent 256 values (2⁸) — enough for one ASCII character. So 16 bits = 2 bytes, 32 bits = 4 bytes and 64 bits = 8 bytes.
Why does my 100 Mbps internet download at only 12.5 MB/s?
Because network speeds are measured in megabits per second and downloads in megabytes per second — divide by 8. 100 Mbps ÷ 8 = 12.5 MB/s. Real-world speeds are usually a bit lower still due to protocol overhead.
What is the difference between Mb and MB?
Lowercase b means bits, uppercase B means bytes — an 8× difference. 1 Mb (megabit) = 0.125 MB (megabyte). ISPs advertise in Mb because the number looks bigger; file managers report MB.
How many bytes is 1 megabit?
1 megabit = 1,000,000 bits = 125,000 bytes = 125 kB (using decimal SI prefixes). A 10 Mb file is therefore 1.25 MB.
How long does a 1 GB download take on 50 Mbps?
50 Mbps is 6.25 MB/s, so 1 GB (1,000 MB) takes about 160 seconds — roughly 2 minutes 40 seconds at full speed. On 100 Mbps (12.5 MB/s) it takes about 80 seconds.