Conversions

Data Storage Converter

What this does

Convert bits, bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB and their binary KiB–TiB counterparts, choosing between decimal (1000) and binary (1024) standards.

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Calculator inputs

How to use it

Using the data storage converter

  1. 01

    Pick the standard

    Binary matches how operating systems report file sizes; decimal matches drive box labels.

  2. 02

    Enter the amount

    Bits and bytes both accepted; 1 byte = 8 bits automatically.

  3. 03

    Compare nearby units

    Rows show megabyte and gigabyte equivalents alongside your target unit.

Good to know

Why your 1 TB drive shows 931 GB

Drive makers count terabytes as 10¹² bytes (decimal); operating systems divide by 1024 four times (binary). The gap is about 7% per terabyte step, so a “1 TB” disk reports roughly 909 GiB; nothing is missing, the rulers differ.

KiB was invented for clarity

Since 1998 the IEC has reserved KiB, MiB and GiB for unambiguous 1024-based sizes. Adoption remains patchy, which is why a standard selector still matters more than twenty-five years later.

Bits versus bytes

Network speeds advertise bits; a “300 Mbps” line moves at most 37.5 MB/s; while storage counts bytes. Confusing the two overstates download capacity by exactly eight times.

How it's calculated

The math behind this calculator

result = value × factor(from) ÷ factor(to) Binary standard: KB = 1024 B Decimal standard: KB = 1000 B KiB/MiB/GiB/TiB are always powers of 1024

Everything reduces to bytes. The IEC binary prefixes KiB, MiB, GiB and TiB are always powers of 1024, while KB, MB, GB and TB follow whichever standard you select; 1000 for drive marketing (decimal) or 1024 for operating-system reporting (binary, the default).

Assumptions & limitations

  • Results are rounded only for display; full precision is used internally.
  • Conversions use exact standard definitions of each unit.

Worked example

One gibibyte of RAM is exactly 1024 mebibytes, which is why memory modules come in power-of-two sizes.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

When should I choose decimal?
When comparing advertised drive or SSD capacities, bandwidth plans, or anything marketing quotes; those use 1000-based kilo, mega and giga prefixes.
Why does memory use binary sizes?
RAM addressing is inherently power-of-two, so modules ship in gibibytes even when labeled GB; under the binary standard the two spellings coincide.
Is a kibibyte ever 1000 bytes?
Never. KiB is defined as 1024 bytes; only the KB spelling switches meaning with the selected standard.

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