How to use the data storage converter
- 1 Type the value you want to convert.
- 2 Choose the unit to convert from and the unit to convert to.
- 3 Press ⇄ to swap the two units.
- 4 Read the result, and see the same size in every other unit in the table below.
Decimal and binary sizes
Storage makers, networks and macOS use decimal units of 1,000; Windows and memory use binary units of 1,024. Pick the unit that matches the number you are reading. For quick sums, use GB to MB and MB to KB.
- Formatted drives lose a little extra space to the file system.
- Speeds in bits divide by 8 for bytes; see Mbps to MB/s.
- Backups need at least as much space as the data, plus room to grow.
Features
Decimal and binary units
KB, MB, GB and TB of 1,000 and KiB, MiB, GiB and TiB of 1,024.
Bits and bytes
Converts bits for network speeds and bytes for files.
All units at once
See a size in every unit.
When to use it
Buying a drive or phone
A 256 GB phone shows about 238 GiB of space before the system takes its share. For simple gigabyte to megabyte maths, use GB to MB.
Upload limits
Forms often limit files to 2 MB or 5 MB; convert your file size from KB to check. To shrink an image, try the Image Compressor.
Cloud storage plans
Compare 100 GB, 200 GB and 2 TB plans in the same unit.
Internet data
Mobile bundles are sold in GB; a 1 GB bundle is 1,000 MB.
Related Unit tasks
Frequently asked questions
How many MB are in a GB?
1,000 MB in decimal units, or 1,024 MiB in a GiB in binary units.
Why does my 1 TB drive show 931 GB?
The maker counts 1 TB as 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Windows divides by 1,024 three times and labels the result GB, though it is really GiB: 931.3 GiB.
What is the difference between KB and KiB?
A kilobyte (KB) is 1,000 bytes; a kibibyte (KiB) is 1,024 bytes. The binary prefixes were introduced to remove the confusion.
How many bits are in a byte?
8 bits.
How many GB is 1 TB?
1,000 GB in decimal units, or 1,024 GiB in a TiB.
Which units does macOS use?
macOS and iOS have shown storage in decimal units since 2009, so a 1 TB drive shows as 1 TB.
How big is a photo or song?
A phone photo is often 2 to 5 MB, and a 4 minute MP3 song at 128 kbps is about 3.8 MB.
Is internet speed in bits or bytes?
Bits. A 100 Mbps connection downloads about 12.5 MB per second. Use the Mbps to MB/s converter.
What comes after a terabyte?
Petabyte (1,000 TB), exabyte, zettabyte and yottabyte, each 1,000 times larger.
Why do RAM sizes use 1,024?
Memory chips are built in powers of two, so 8 GB of RAM is really 8 GiB, or 8,589,934,592 bytes.
Why do storage makers use decimal units?
The SI prefixes kilo, mega and giga mean thousand, million and billion in every other field, so drive makers follow that standard. Operating systems grew up using powers of two, which is where the confusion comes from.
How much space do videos take?
It depends on resolution and compression. Phone video in full HD often uses around one hundred megabytes per minute, and 4K can use three or four times as much, so long recordings fill storage quickly.
How do I free up storage space?
Delete large videos you have backed up, clear app caches, remove apps you no longer use and move photos to cloud storage or a computer.
Built and reviewed by Hamza Farooq, founder and lead developer
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