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Data Storage Converter

Convert between bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, petabytes, bits and more. Supports both decimal (SI) and binary (IEC) units — with real-time conversion, no signup, and everything running in your browser.

Convert Data Storage

Converted value
—
1 KB = 0.001 MB

What does this Data Storage Converter do?

This free online data storage converter converts between any two units of digital information instantly. Whether you're checking disk space, comparing file sizes, planning cloud storage, or just curious how many megabytes are in a gigabyte, this tool gives you accurate results in real time.

It supports the three systems that matter most:

  • Bits: The smallest unit of digital information. Used for network speeds and data transfer rates.
  • Decimal (SI) byte units: Powers of 1000 (KB, MB, GB, TB, PB, EB, ZB, YB). Used by hard drive manufacturers, network speeds, and the International System of Units.
  • Binary (IEC) byte units: Powers of 1024 (KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB, PiB, EiB, ZiB, YiB). Used by operating systems like Windows, Linux, and macOS for RAM and file sizes.

This converter handles both systems side by side, so you can convert "1 TB (decimal) to GiB (binary)" or "500 MB to Mib" without confusion. Everything runs locally in your browser — no server, no signup, no tracking.

How to use the Data Storage Converter

  1. Enter a value: Type the number you want to convert in the "From" field.
  2. Pick your source unit: Select the unit you're converting from. Use the dropdown groups to pick bits, decimal bytes, or binary bytes.
  3. Pick your target unit: Select the unit you want to convert to. The dropdown includes all three systems.
  4. See the result instantly: The converted value appears in the "To" field and in the result box below — no button press needed.
  5. Use quick conversions: Click any of the preset buttons below to instantly convert common values like "1024 KB → MB" or "1 TB → GB".
  6. Swap units: Click the swap button to reverse the conversion direction in one click.
  7. Copy the result: Use the "Copy Result" button to grab the converted value for use elsewhere.

Why use this Data Storage Converter?

Real-time conversion

As you type, the result updates instantly. No button press needed, no waiting.

Decimal + Binary units

Supports both SI (KB, MB, GB) and IEC (KiB, MiB, GiB) systems — plus bits and bit multiples for network speeds.

One-click swap

Swap the from and to units instantly with a single click. No need to re-enter the value.

Copy & reset

Copy the result to your clipboard or reset the converter to its default state with one click.

100% private

Everything runs in your browser. No server, no logs, no tracking. Your data never leaves your device.

Works offline

Once the page loads, the converter works without an internet connection. Perfect for travel or remote areas.

Decimal vs. binary: why your 1 TB drive shows as 931 GB

The single biggest source of confusion in data storage is the difference between decimal (base-10) and binary (base-2) units. Both use the same prefixes — kilo, mega, giga, tera — but they mean different things.

Unit Decimal (SI) Binary (IEC) Common use
Kilobyte / Kibibyte1 KB = 1,000 B1 KiB = 1,024 BSmall files
Megabyte / Mebibyte1 MB = 1,000 KB1 MiB = 1,024 KiBPhotos, documents
Gigabyte / Gibibyte1 GB = 1,000 MB1 GiB = 1,024 MiBMovies, apps
Terabyte / Tebibyte1 TB = 1,000 GB1 TiB = 1,024 GiBHard drives, SSDs
Petabyte / Pebibyte1 PB = 1,000 TB1 PiB = 1,024 TiBData centres
Exabyte / Exbibyte1 EB = 1,000 PB1 EiB = 1,024 PiBGlobal data
Zettabyte / Zebibyte1 ZB = 1,000 EB1 ZiB = 1,024 EiBTotal internet data
Yottabyte / Yobibyte1 YB = 1,000 ZB1 YiB = 1,024 ZiBTheoretical limits

Why the numbers don't match

When you buy a "1 TB" hard drive, the manufacturer uses decimal units: 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. When Windows shows you the drive's capacity, it uses binary units: it divides by 1,024 each step. So:

1,000,000,000,000 bytes ÷ 1,024³ = 931.32 GiB

That's why your 1 TB drive shows up as roughly 931 GB in Windows. The drive isn't smaller than advertised — it's just being measured in different units. macOS switched to decimal reporting in 2009, which is why macOS shows the full 1 TB while Windows shows 931 GB. This converter lets you move between both systems cleanly.

Common data storage conversion factors

Here are the exact conversion factors used by this converter. All values are based on international standards.

From To Multiply by Example
Bytes (B)Bits (b)81 B = 8 b
Kilobytes (KB)Bytes (B)1,0001 KB = 1,000 B
Megabytes (MB)Kilobytes (KB)1,0001 MB = 1,000 KB
Gigabytes (GB)Megabytes (MB)1,0001 GB = 1,000 MB
Terabytes (TB)Gigabytes (GB)1,0001 TB = 1,000 GB
Kibibytes (KiB)Bytes (B)1,0241 KiB = 1,024 B
Mebibytes (MiB)Kibibytes (KiB)1,0241 MiB = 1,024 KiB
Gibibytes (GiB)Mebibytes (MiB)1,0241 GiB = 1,024 MiB
Tebibytes (TiB)Gibibytes (GiB)1,0241 TiB = 1,024 GiB
Gigabytes (GB)Gibibytes (GiB)0.931321 GB = 0.93132 GiB

Common data storage conversion use cases

IT and system administration

  • Comparing disk usage reports across Windows, Linux, and macOS, which use different unit systems
  • Calculating actual usable storage after formatting and filesystem overhead
  • Planning RAID arrays and estimating storage requirements

Cloud and hosting

  • Comparing cloud storage tiers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) that may use different unit definitions
  • Estimating monthly data transfer costs based on bandwidth in bits per second
  • Calculating how many files fit within a storage quota

Media and content creation

  • Estimating video file sizes for a given resolution and duration
  • Converting streaming bitrates (Mbps) to file sizes (MB, GB)
  • Planning backup storage for photo and video libraries

Everyday computing

  • Understanding why your new phone's "128 GB" storage shows less usable space
  • Checking whether a file will fit on a USB drive or SD card
  • Comparing data plan allowances across mobile carriers

Frequently asked questions

Decimal units use powers of 1000 (KB = 1000 bytes, MB = 1000 KB), while binary units use powers of 1024 (KiB = 1024 bytes, MiB = 1024 KiB). This converter supports both, so you can pick the correct system for your use case. Just select the right unit group in the dropdown.
Drive manufacturers use decimal (1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes), while operating systems like Windows report storage in binary units. 1 TB (decimal) = 0.909 TiB (binary) = 931 GiB. That's why the numbers don't match. The drive is the advertised size — it's just being measured differently.
There are exactly 8 bits in one byte. This is the fundamental relationship in digital data. A bit is a single binary digit (0 or 1), and a byte is the smallest addressable unit of memory in most computer architectures.
KB (kilobyte) is a decimal unit equal to 1,000 bytes. KiB (kibibyte) is a binary unit equal to 1,024 bytes. The binary units were introduced by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) in 1998 to remove ambiguity. Before that, "KB" was often used loosely for both 1000 and 1024 bytes, which caused confusion.
Network engineers measure throughput in bits per second (bps), so internet speeds are advertised in Mbps (megabits) and Gbps (gigabits). File sizes are measured in bytes. To convert between them, divide the speed by 8: a 100 Mbps connection downloads at roughly 12.5 MB/s. This converter supports both bits and bytes so you can make the conversion cleanly.
Yes, completely free. No signup, no watermark, no hidden charges. Use it as many times as you want.
Yes. Once the page loads, the converter works entirely in your browser without an internet connection.
Absolutely. Everything runs in your browser. The numbers you enter never leave your device.
It supports bits (b, kb, Mb, Gb, Tb, Pb, Kib, Mib, Gib, Tib, Pib), decimal byte units (B, KB, MB, GB, TB, PB, EB, ZB, YB), and binary byte units (KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB, PiB, EiB, ZiB, YiB).