Bytes to KB MB GB Converter
Type a data size into any one unit and every other unit updates at the same time — bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB, and PB. Switch between the binary (1024) and decimal (1000) standard to see exactly why a 1 TB drive shows up as about 931 GB. No convert button, no sign-up, and nothing you type ever leaves your browser.
What is the Bytes to KB MB GB Converter?
The Bytes to KB MB GB Converter turns a single data size into every other storage unit at once: bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, and petabytes. Type a value into any field and the rest update live. Its defining feature is a standard switch that lets you convert under the binary system (powers of 1024, labelled KiB, MiB, GiB) or the decimal system (powers of 1000, labelled KB, MB, GB) — the single biggest source of confusion when people compare file and drive sizes.
How to use it
- Pick the unit you already know and type the number into its box (for example, 500 into Megabytes).
- Read the answer instantly in every other unit — no Convert button, no page reload.
- Toggle between Binary (1024) and Decimal (1000) at the top to see how the same input maps differently under each standard.
- Copy the value you need and you are done. Nothing is saved, nothing is uploaded — use it and move on.
The method behind it
Every unit is anchored to one base: the byte. To convert your input we first turn it into bytes, then scale out to each target unit. The only thing the standard switch changes is the step multiplier between adjacent units. In decimal, each step up multiplies by 1000, so a kilobyte is 1000 bytes and a megabyte is 1,000,000 bytes. In binary, each step up multiplies by 1024, so a kibibyte is 1024 bytes and a mebibyte is 1,048,576 bytes. Because both systems share the byte as their common base, the converter stays internally consistent and only rounds the displayed value for readability.
Binary vs decimal: why the same size shows two numbers
This is the part most converters skip. Storage manufacturers advertise capacity in the decimal system, so a drive sold as 1 TB holds exactly 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Many operating systems, however, report that same byte count in the binary system, dividing by 1024 three times, which works out to about 931 GiB — and they often still print the label GB. No space is missing; the drive simply holds the bytes the box promised, counted a different way. The International Electrotechnical Commission introduced the names kibibyte, mebibyte, and gibibyte specifically so that 1024-based sizes (KiB, MiB, GiB) can be told apart from 1000-based sizes (KB, MB, GB). When precision matters, say which standard you mean.
The same size, both standards
A quick reference showing how each named size resolves to a different raw byte count depending on the standard. This gap is what makes drives look smaller than their label.
| Stated size | Decimal (1000) in bytes | Binary (1024) in bytes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 KB / KiB | 1,000 | 1,024 |
| 1 MB / MiB | 1,000,000 | 1,048,576 |
| 1 GB / GiB | 1,000,000,000 | 1,073,741,824 |
| 1 TB / TiB | 1,000,000,000,000 | 1,099,511,627,776 |
Examples
- 1,048,576 bytes = 1 MiB in binary, but 1.048576 MB in decimal.
- A 64 GB phone, in binary, is about 59.6 GiB of usable space — which is why the storage screen shows less than 64.
- 500 MB in decimal equals 500,000,000 bytes, which is about 476.84 MiB in binary.
Common use cases
- Developers and IT admins: reconcile file, log, or database sizes across tools that disagree on KB vs KiB.
- New drives and USB sticks: understand why advertised capacity does not match what the system reports.
- Students: learn the difference between decimal and binary prefixes for a class or exam.
- Uploads and quotas: size downloads, uploads, and backups against a limit stated in MB or GB.
- Hardware comparison: line up RAM specs (binary) against storage specs (decimal) on the same machine.
Why use this one
Most data-storage converters swap two units at a time and never mention the 1024-versus-1000 problem, so they leave you guessing why your numbers do not match. This tool shows every unit at once, lets you switch standards with a single tap, labels the binary units correctly as KiB, MiB, and GiB, runs 100% in your browser (your numbers never leave your device), needs no sign-up, and stays fast and ad-light so you get the answer in well under a second.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between binary and decimal data sizes?
The decimal standard counts in powers of 1000: 1 KB = 1000 bytes, 1 MB = 1000 KB, and so on. The binary standard counts in powers of 1024 and uses the names KiB, MiB, GiB: 1 KiB = 1024 bytes. Storage makers advertise in decimal, while many operating systems report in binary, so the same drive can show two different numbers.
Why does my 1 TB hard drive show as only 931 GB?
The manufacturer labels the drive as 1 TB using the decimal standard, which is 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Windows then reports that same byte count in the binary standard, dividing by 1024 three times, which gives about 931 GiB even though it labels it GB. No space is missing; it is just two ways of counting the same bytes.
How many bytes are in a KB, MB, and GB?
In decimal: 1 KB = 1000 bytes, 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes, 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. In binary: 1 KiB = 1024 bytes, 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes, 1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes. Use the standard switch on this page to convert under either system.
Which standard should I use?
Use decimal (KB, MB, GB) for storage device capacity, marketing figures, and most networking. Use binary (KiB, MiB, GiB) when you want to match what an operating system or a RAM spec reports. When precision matters, state which standard you mean.
Does this converter upload my numbers anywhere?
No. Every conversion runs entirely in your browser with JavaScript. Nothing you type is sent to a server, and the page keeps working offline once it has loaded.