Data Storage Converter

How it works

This converter uses bytes as the common base. It multiplies the input by the selected unit’s byte count, then divides by each output unit’s byte count. Decimal units increase by factors of 1,000; binary units increase by factors of 1,024. Results are rounded for display, so copying a displayed result back into the form can introduce a small rounding difference.

Storage manufacturers commonly use decimal units. Some operating systems display a binary calculation with a familiar decimal-looking label. That can explain why a drive’s reported capacity appears smaller without implying that the advertised bytes vanished. Formatting and reserved storage can reduce the usable space further; this tool converts units rather than predicting usable capacity.

KB is used here for decimal kilobytes, while the formal SI symbol is kB. KiB, MiB, GiB and TiB always indicate binary multiples in this calculator. B means byte; a lowercase b commonly means bit. Network rates such as Mbps are rates over time and are not interchangeable with file sizes. Fractional bytes are allowed for mathematical comparisons, although a real file occupies a whole number of bytes.

A worked example

Enter 500 GB to see 500,000,000,000 bytes, approximately 465.661287308 GiB, or 0.454747350886 TiB. Changing the label from GB to GiB changes the underlying quantity.

Common questions