Data Storage Converter
Convert bits, bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB and binary KiB, MiB, GiB units instantly.
About the Data Storage Converter
The Data Storage Converter turns any digital storage amount into another unit instantly — bits, bytes, and every common multiple, from kilobytes and megabytes up to petabytes. Crucially, it handles both naming systems: the decimal units you see on hard drive boxes (KB, MB, GB, TB, PB, based on powers of 1000) and the binary units your operating system usually reports (KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB, PiB, based on powers of 1024). Type a number, pick the unit you have and the unit you want, and the answer appears immediately. All the math runs in your browser, so it's instant and works offline once the page has loaded.
Storage conversions come up constantly: checking whether a file will fit on a drive, comparing an advertised disk size to what your computer actually shows, sizing a backup or a download, estimating cloud costs, or making sense of a network transfer figure. Because manufacturers and operating systems often use different definitions of "gigabyte," this tool removes the confusion and the mental arithmetic.
How to use
- Enter a value in the "From" box.
- Choose the unit you're converting from in the first dropdown.
- Choose the unit you want in the second dropdown — the result updates as you type.
- Use the ⇄ swap button to reverse the direction (for example, switch from "GB → GiB" to "GiB → GB") without re-entering anything.
Every conversion goes through a single base unit — the byte — using exact factors (1 byte = 8 bits, KB = 1000 bytes, KiB = 1024 bytes, and so on). Results are shown with enough significant figures to stay precise without cluttering the display, and very large or very small numbers switch to scientific notation so they stay readable.
Binary vs decimal
This is the single most common source of storage confusion, so it's worth being clear. Decimal units use powers of 1000: 1 KB = 1000 bytes, 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes, 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. This is what drive manufacturers advertise and what the official SI prefixes mean. Binary units use powers of 1024: 1 KiB = 1024 bytes, 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes, 1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes. These "-bi-" names (kibi, mebi, gibi, tebi, pebi) were standardized to remove ambiguity.
The gap grows as the numbers get bigger: a "1 TB" drive holds 1,000,000,000,000 bytes, which is only about 0.909 TiB — which is why a brand-new 1 TB disk shows up as roughly "931 GB" in Windows (Windows actually means GiB). Nothing is missing; the two sides are just counting in different bases.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a KB and a KiB?
A kilobyte (KB) is 1000 bytes; a kibibyte (KiB) is 1024 bytes. They differ by about 2.4%, and that difference compounds at higher units — a GB and a GiB differ by roughly 7.4%. This converter treats them as distinct so you always get the exact number you asked for.
Why does my hard drive show less space than advertised?
Because the manufacturer counts in decimal (1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes) while your operating system usually counts in binary (1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes) but still labels it "GB." A "500 GB" drive is about 465 GiB, so nothing is actually lost — it's just two different definitions.
How many bits are in a byte?
Eight. This converter uses 1 byte = 8 bits, the universal standard. Note that network speeds are often quoted in bits (megabits per second, Mbps), while file sizes are in bytes, which is why a "100 Mbps" connection downloads at roughly 12.5 megabytes per second.
Does this work without an internet connection?
Once the page has loaded, yes. All the calculations happen locally in your browser with no server involved, so conversions keep working even if you go offline.
Can I convert very large or very small numbers?
Yes. The converter handles everything from a single bit to thousands of petabytes. Extremely large or small results are shown in scientific notation so they stay readable and precise.
Which units does it support?
Bits and bytes, plus both families of multiples: decimal KB, MB, GB, TB, PB (powers of 1000) and binary KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB, PiB (powers of 1024) — covering everyday files, drives, memory, and large-scale storage alike.