Data Storage Converter
KB to MB, GB to MB, bytes to bits & more
Convert data storage units instantly — bits, bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB and PB — with a clear toggle between the binary (1024) and decimal (1000) standards, so you always know which answer you're getting.
Convert data storage now — free
KB, MB, GB & TB — Quick Answers
The exact conversions people search for most, answered directly in both standards.
| Value | Binary (1024) | Decimal (1000) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Byte | 8 bits | |
| 1 KB | 1,024 Bytes | 1,000 Bytes |
| 1 MB | 1,024 KB | 1,000 KB |
| 1 GB | 1,024 MB | 1,000 MB |
| 1 TB | 1,024 GB | 1,000 GB |
| 1 GB | 1,048,576 KB | 1,000,000 KB |
| 500 GB | 512,000 MB | 500,000 MB |
| 1 TB drive, as seen in Windows | ≈ 931 GB | |
Have a different number? Type it into the calculator above and pick your standard for an instant answer.
Worked Examples
See exactly how each conversion is calculated — and why "1 GB" doesn't always mean the same number of MB.
Convert 5 Bytes to bits.
- 1 Byte = 8 bits, always — this never changes between standards
- Multiply by 8
- 5 × 8
Convert 2 GB to MB using the binary (1024) standard.
- In binary, 1 GB = 1,024 MB
- Multiply by 1,024
- 2 × 1,024
Convert 1,500 MB to GB using the decimal (1000) standard.
- In decimal, 1 GB = 1,000 MB
- Divide by 1,000
- 1,500 ÷ 1,000
Why does a "1 TB" hard drive show only about 931 GB in Windows?
- Manufacturers label the drive using the decimal standard: 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes
- Windows displays size in binary "GB" (really GiB): 1 GB = 1,024³ bytes = 1,073,741,824 bytes
- 1,000,000,000,000 ÷ 1,073,741,824 ≈ 931.3
Try any of these with the shortcut chips in the calculator above, or swap in your own numbers and standard.
Free Data Storage Converter — KB, MB, GB, TB & Bytes Explained
Data storage conversion comes up everywhere — checking how many MB are in a GB of mobile data, converting a file size for a computer science assignment, or working out why a "1 TB" hard drive never actually shows 1 TB of free space. This converter handles the full range: bit, byte, KB, MB, GB, TB and PB, all in one place.
What makes data storage different from converters like length or weight is that there are genuinely two correct answers depending on which standard is being used. Computers and operating systems traditionally count in powers of 1,024 (since storage is binary), so 1 KB = 1,024 bytes, 1 MB = 1,024 KB, and so on. Hard drive and SSD manufacturers, along with the official SI system, use powers of 1,000 instead — the same way "kilo" means 1,000 everywhere else in science — so by that standard, 1 KB = 1,000 bytes. Neither is "wrong"; they're just different conventions, and this is exactly why a drive sold as "1 TB" shows up as roughly 931 GB in Windows: the box used the decimal definition, the operating system reports the binary one.
This converter makes that choice explicit with a Binary (1024) / Decimal (1000) toggle, rather than silently picking one and leaving you to guess which answer it gave you. One rule never changes regardless of standard: 1 byte is always exactly 8 bits.
Whichever standard your question expects, every conversion updates instantly — no signup, no app download, no "convert" button to click. Need something else? Head back to the unit converter hub, or explore more utilities in Developer Tools built for Computer Science and Engineering students.
← Back to all unit convertersData storage conversion — common questions
There are always exactly 8 bits in 1 byte. This is the one data storage conversion that doesn't change between the binary and decimal standards.
It depends on the standard: using binary (the way operating systems usually count), 1 GB = 1,024 MB. Using decimal (the way manufacturers label storage), 1 GB = 1,000 MB. Use the toggle in the calculator above to pick the one your question expects.
Manufacturers define 1 TB as 1,000,000,000,000 bytes (the decimal standard), but Windows displays size in binary "GB" (really GiB), where 1 GB = 1,024³ bytes = 1,073,741,824 bytes. Dividing the drive's actual byte count by that larger binary GB gives roughly 931 GB rather than a full 1,000 GB.
KiB (kibibyte) is the unambiguous binary unit, always equal to exactly 1,024 bytes. KB (kilobyte) is technically defined as 1,000 bytes under the SI system, but in everyday and computing contexts it's very commonly used to mean 1,024 bytes as well — which is the whole source of the confusion this page's toggle is meant to resolve.
Using binary, 1 TB = 1,024 GB. Using decimal, 1 TB = 1,000 GB. Both are "correct" depending on which standard is being used — storage manufacturers use decimal, while most operating systems display binary.
Yes. Data representation and storage units are a standard topic in Class 11-12 Computer Science, and this converter covers both the binary (1024) definitions used in theory questions and the decimal (1000) definitions used in real-world storage specifications.