Data Storage Converter
Convert data storage between bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, and petabytes (binary, 1024-based).
How to use this tool
- Enter storage and from unit in the fields above.
- Results update instantly as you type — or click Calculate.
- Read your megabytes and the full breakdown beneath it.
Formula
All storage values are derived by first converting the input to bytes, then dividing by the target unit's byte count:
Bytes = value × factorfrom
Where: 1 KB = 1,024 B, 1 MB = 1,048,576 B, 1 GB = 1,073,741,824 B, 1 TB = 1,099,511,627,776 B, 1 PB = 1,125,899,906,842,624 B (binary, base-1024).
How it works
This converter uses binary (IEC) prefixes throughout: each step up multiplies by 1,024, not 1,000. The input value is first multiplied by its unit's byte factor to get a raw byte count, then divided by each output unit's factor to produce all results in one pass.
Common mistake: Confusing binary kilobytes (1 KB = 1,024 B) with decimal kilobytes (1 kB = 1,000 B) as used by storage manufacturers and SI. A hard drive advertised as 500 GB (decimal) holds only about 465.66 GiB (binary), which is why operating systems report less space than the box states.
Worked example
Convert 1 Gigabyte to all units
- Input: 1 gigabyte. The byte factor for gigabyte is 1,073,741,824.
- Base bytes = 1 × 1,073,741,824 = 1,073,741,824 B.
- Divide base by each factor: KB = 1,073,741,824 / 1,024 = 1,048,576; MB = 1,073,741,824 / 1,048,576 = 1,024; TB = 1,073,741,824 / 1,099,511,627,776 ≈ 0.000977.
- Remaining outputs: GB = 1 (unchanged), PB ≈ 9.54 × 10⁻⁷.
1 GB = 1,073,741,824 B = 1,048,576 KB = 1,024 MB = 1 GB ≈ 0.000977 TB.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting 1 KB = 1,000 bytes (decimal) when the tool uses 1 KB = 1,024 bytes (binary) -- hard drive manufacturers use decimal (so a 500 GB drive shows ~465 GiB in an OS), causing the apparent size difference.
- Confusing GB and GiB -- 1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes while 1 GB (decimal) = 1,000,000,000 bytes; an 8 GiB RAM stick may display as 7.45 GB in a decimal-reporting system.
- Using data storage units (GB) when the context requires data transfer rates (Gbps) -- the two measure fundamentally different things.
Key terms
- Binary prefix (IEC)
- A prefix where each unit is 1,024 times the previous (kibi-, mebi-, gibi-, etc.), as opposed to the SI decimal prefix of 1,000. This converter uses binary prefixes throughout.
- Byte (B)
- The fundamental unit of digital data, equal to 8 bits. All other units in this converter are powers-of-1,024 multiples of one byte.
- Gibibyte vs Gigabyte
- Gibibyte (GiB) is the unambiguous binary term for 2³⁰ bytes. 'Gigabyte' is often used loosely to mean either 10⁹ bytes (decimal/SI) or 2³⁰ bytes (binary). This tool uses the binary interpretation.
- Petabyte (PB)
- 2⁵⁰ bytes, or 1,125,899,906,842,624 bytes in binary. Used to describe very large storage systems such as data-centre arrays.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does my 1 TB hard drive show less space in Windows?
- Drive manufacturers label storage in decimal (1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes), but Windows reports in binary gibibytes. 1 TB decimal is about 931 GiB, which Windows may display as roughly 931 GB.
- What is the difference between GB and GiB?
- GB (gigabyte) in strict SI usage is 10^9 bytes (1,000,000,000). GiB (gibibyte) is 2^30 bytes (1,073,741,824). This tool uses the binary 1024-based definition, consistent with how RAM and OS file systems count memory.
- How many gigabytes is a typical 4K movie?
- A 4K Blu-ray film typically runs 60-100 GB. Streaming versions are compressed to 15-25 GB per film. The exact size depends on codec, runtime, and HDR encoding.