Data Storage Converter

Convert between bits, bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB (SI and Binary)

Formula

SI: ×1000 each step. Binary: ×1024 each step. 1 byte = 8 bits. SI: KB, MB, GB, TB. Binary: KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB.

Two standards exist: SI (decimal, 1000-based) used by storage manufacturers, and binary (1024-based) used by operating systems. This calculator handles both.

How to Calculate Manually

1
Enter the value to convert
2
Select source unit (SI or binary)
3
Select target unit
4
Calculator converts to bytes then to target
5
Shows result with both standards

Reference Table

Unit	Bytes (SI)	Bytes (Binary)	Common Use
1 KB	1,000	1,024 (KiB)	Small files
1 MB	1,000,000	1,048,576 (MiB)	Photos, documents
1 GB	1,000,000,000	1,073,741,824 (GiB)	Videos, games
1 TB	10^12	1,099,511,627,776 (TiB)	Drives, backups
1 PB	10^15	1,125,899,906,842,624 (PiB)	Data centers

Data Storage Converter: Bits, Bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB Explained

Data storage units are confusing because two different standards coexist. Storage manufacturers use decimal (SI) units, while operating systems use binary units. This leads to the common question: 'Why does my 1 TB drive only show 931 GB?'...

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between KB and KiB? KB (kilobyte) = 1,000 bytes (SI). KiB (kibibyte) = 1,024 bytes (binary). This calculator shows both standards.: KB (kilobyte) = 1,000 bytes (SI). KiB (kibibyte) = 1,024 bytes (binary). This calculator shows both standards.
Why does my 1 TB drive show 931 GB? Manufacturers use SI (1 TB = 1,000 GB). OS uses binary (1 TiB = 1,024 GiB). 1,000,000,000,000 bytes ÷ 1,024³ = 931 GiB.: Manufacturers use SI (1 TB = 1,000 GB). OS uses binary (1 TiB = 1,024 GiB). 1,000,000,000,000 bytes ÷ 1,024³ = 931 GiB.
How many bits in a byte? 8 bits = 1 byte. Always. This is the fundamental unit of digital information.: 8 bits = 1 byte. Always. This is the fundamental unit of digital information.

Calculator

Formula

Formula

How to Calculate Manually

Reference Table

Data Storage Converter: Bits, Bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB Explained

Frequently Asked Questions

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