liminfoData Size Converter
Free web tool: Data Size Converter
Conversion Result
1,024 Megabyte
Full Conversion Table
Bit (bit)
8,589,934,592
Byte (B)
1,073,741,824
Kilobyte (KB)
1,048,576
Megabyte (MB)
1,024
Gigabyte (GB)
1
Terabyte (TB)
9.7656e-4
Petabyte (PB)
9.5367e-7
Kibibyte (KiB)
1,048,576
Mebibyte (MiB)
1,024
Gibibyte (GiB)
1
kB (SI, 1000)
1,073,741.824
MB (SI, 1000)
1,073.7418
GB (SI, 1000)
1.073741824
TB (SI, 1000)
0.001073741824
KB/MB/GB/TB: Binary prefix (base 1024) | SI: International System (base 1000)
About Data Size Converter
The Data Size Converter is a free online tool that instantly converts digital storage and data transfer values between 14 units — from bits to petabytes — across both binary (base-1024) and SI (base-1000) systems. Enter any value, choose a source unit, and the tool shows a focused result plus a full conversion table for every supported unit simultaneously, eliminating the need for repeated lookups.
The converter distinguishes clearly between binary prefixes (KB = 1,024 bytes, MB = 1,048,576 bytes, GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes) used by operating systems and file systems, and SI decimal prefixes (kB = 1,000 bytes, MB = 1,000,000 bytes, GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes) used by hard drive manufacturers and network engineers. It also supports IEC standard units — KiB, MiB, GiB — which were introduced to avoid ambiguity. Understanding this difference is essential when comparing storage device capacity with the amount your OS reports.
All computation is performed client-side using React useMemo hooks, converting any input value to its equivalent in bits first, then dividing by each unit's bit factor to populate the table. Precision handling uses exponential notation for very small values (below 0.001) and locale-aware formatting for large values (above 1,000), ensuring readable output across the full range from nanotransfers to multi-petabyte datasets.
Key Features
- Supports 14 units: bit, byte, KB, MB, GB, TB, PB (binary) plus KiB, MiB, GiB (IEC) and kB, MB, GB, TB (SI base-1000)
- Full conversion table — all 14 unit equivalents displayed at once for the entered value
- Focused main result showing the exact from-unit to to-unit conversion in large text
- One-click Swap Units button to instantly reverse the conversion direction
- Handles extreme ranges: exponential notation for values below 0.001, locale-formatted for values above 1,000
- Input unit highlighted in the table for quick visual reference
- Real-time recalculation as you type — no submit button needed
- 100% client-side processing — no data ever sent to a server
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between KB and KiB?
KB (kilobyte) is often used loosely to mean either 1,000 or 1,024 bytes depending on context. KiB (kibibyte) is the IEC standard unit that unambiguously means exactly 1,024 bytes. Hard drive manufacturers use 1 KB = 1,000 bytes (SI), which is why a "500 GB" drive shows as about 465 GiB in Windows. This converter separates them clearly: KB uses 1,024 and kB (SI) uses 1,000.
Why does my operating system show less storage than the drive label says?
Storage manufacturers advertise capacity in decimal (SI) units where 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. Your operating system (Windows, Linux, macOS) reports in binary units where 1 GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes. A 1 TB (SI) drive contains 1,000,000,000,000 bytes, which equals about 931 GiB binary. Use this converter to calculate the exact discrepancy for your drive size.
What is a petabyte and when would I encounter one?
A petabyte (PB) equals 1,125,899,906,842,624 bytes in binary or 1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes in SI. You encounter petabyte-scale data in large cloud storage services (Google and Facebook reportedly store tens of petabytes), scientific datasets (CERN generates petabytes of collision data), and enterprise data warehouses. Consumer NAS systems are now reaching hundreds of terabytes, making the petabyte the next benchmark unit for serious storage users.
How do I convert MB to GB?
To convert megabytes to gigabytes in binary: divide by 1,024. So 2,048 MB = 2 GB. In SI decimal units: divide by 1,000. So 2,000 MB = 2 GB. With this tool, simply enter your MB value, select "Megabyte (MB)" as the source, and read the GB or GiB row in the conversion table instantly.
What is the difference between data size and data transfer rate units?
Data size units (MB, GB, etc.) measure a fixed quantity of stored or transmitted data. Data transfer rate units (Mbps, Gbps) measure how many bits or bytes are transferred per second. This converter handles data size only. To calculate download time, divide the file size in bits by your connection speed in bits per second. For example, a 1 GB (= 8,589,934,592 bits) file over a 100 Mbps (= 100,000,000 bps) connection takes about 85.9 seconds.
How many bytes are in a gigabyte?
In binary (what your OS uses): 1 GB = 1,024 MB = 1,048,576 KB = 1,073,741,824 bytes. In SI decimal (what storage manufacturers use): 1 GB = 1,000 MB = 1,000,000 KB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. The IEC standard calls the binary gigabyte a "gibibyte" (GiB) to distinguish it. Enter "1" with source unit "Gigabyte (GB)" in this converter to see all equivalent values at a glance.
Why do network speeds use different units than file sizes?
Historically, telecommunications adopted SI prefixes (kilo = 1,000, mega = 1,000,000) for data rates because network protocols often work in decimal multiples. Computer storage adopted binary multiples (1,024) because memory is addressed in powers of 2. This creates confusion: a 100 Mbps network connection transfers 100,000,000 bits per second, but a 100 MB file is 104,857,600 bytes (binary), so the actual transfer time is slightly longer than a simple division suggests.
Can I use this to estimate cloud storage costs?
Yes. Cloud providers typically bill in decimal gigabytes (SI). If you know how many binary GB (or GiB) you have — as reported by your OS — use this converter to find the SI GB equivalent, which is what the provider will count. For example, 100 GiB of data equals about 107.37 GB (SI). Multiply by your provider's per-GB monthly rate to estimate your storage bill.