Data Storage Converter
Convert bits, bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB and PB using both decimal (×1000) and binary (×1024) standards, with a reference table.
About the Data Storage Converter
This data storage converter handles every common digital unit — bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes and petabytes — and crucially covers both the decimal (SI) and binary (IEC) standards side by side. Enter a value, choose your units, and the result appears instantly.
The decimal units (KB, MB, GB) use powers of 1000, the way drive manufacturers advertise capacity. The binary units (KiB, MiB, GiB) use powers of 1024, the way operating systems actually count memory and files. That gap is why a '1 TB' drive shows up as about 931 GiB in your file manager — this tool makes the difference explicit.
All conversions run locally in your browser through a shared bit base unit, so results are exact and immediate.
How to Use the Data Storage Converter
- 1Enter the value you want to convert.
- 2Pick the source unit and target unit (decimal or binary).
- 3Read the result and reverse conversion instantly.
- 4Use the table for common storage sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my 1 TB drive show as 931 GB?
Drive makers use decimal units: 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Operating systems count in binary: 1 TiB = 1,099,511,627,776 bytes, but often label it 'GB'. Dividing the decimal terabyte by the binary gibibyte gives about 931, so the same drive reads as ~931 GiB. No storage is lost — it's just two ways of counting.
What is the difference between MB and MiB?
A megabyte (MB) is 1,000,000 bytes (decimal); a mebibyte (MiB) is 1,048,576 bytes (binary, 1024²). The IEC introduced KiB, MiB and GiB in 1998 to remove the ambiguity, but everyday software still often writes 'MB' when it means MiB. This converter lists both so you can be precise.
How many megabytes are in a gigabyte?
In decimal, 1 GB = 1000 MB. In binary, 1 GiB = 1024 MiB. Which one to use depends on context: network speeds and drive marketing use decimal, while RAM and file sizes in most operating systems use binary. Pick the matching units in this tool.
What's the difference between bits and bytes?
A byte is 8 bits. Bits (lowercase b) are typically used for data-transfer rates — a 100 Mbps connection is 100 megabits per second — while bytes (uppercase B) measure file sizes. That factor of 8 is why a 100 Mbps line downloads at roughly 12.5 MB/s.
Which standard should I use?
Use decimal (MB, GB, TB) for network bandwidth, drive marketing and anywhere SI units are expected. Use binary (MiB, GiB, TiB) for RAM, file sizes reported by operating systems and precise capacity calculations. When in doubt, state which one you mean to avoid the common 1000-versus-1024 confusion.