Data Storage Converter
Convert between bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes and terabytes.
The data storage converter translates between units of digital information. It uses binary values (1 KB = 1,024 bytes), which is what operating systems report, though storage manufacturers often use decimal values (1 KB = 1,000 bytes) — one reason a 1 TB drive shows less free space.
How to use the converter
- Enter the data size.
- Choose the from and to units.
- See the result and the full table of equivalents.
- Use it to compare download sizes, disk space and data plans.
How the conversion works
Result = value in bytes ÷ factor of the target unit
Worked example
1 gigabyte to megabytes
1 GB × 1,073,741,824 = 1,024 MB
That is 1,048,576 KB or about 8,589,934,592 bits.
Popular conversions
Jump straight to a single conversion, or use the converter above for any pair.
Who should use this data storage converter
- Anyone comparing phone, laptop or cloud storage plans, where capacities are quoted in marketing units but shown in binary ones.
- People estimating download or upload times from a connection speed quoted in megabits per second.
- Developers and system administrators sizing backups, logs or databases.
- Shoppers checking whether a drive or memory card really holds what the label claims.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing bits with bytes. Internet speeds are in megabits per second, file sizes in bytes. Divide by eight: a 100 Mbps connection downloads at about 12.5 MB/s.
- Expecting 1,024 everywhere. Manufacturers use decimal units where 1 GB is 1,000,000,000 bytes, while operating systems use binary units where 1 GiB is 1,073,741,824 bytes. That gap is why a 1 TB drive shows about 931 GB.
- Forgetting formatting and system overhead. The usable capacity of a new drive is a little lower than the raw figure even before you store anything.
- Assuming download speed equals real-world speed. Wi-Fi, distance from the router, server limits and peak-hour congestion all reduce the throughput you actually see.
- Mixing up storage and memory. RAM is not the same as disk space, and their units are not interchangeable in planning.
Why your 1 TB drive shows less than 1,000 GB
Drive manufacturers define 1 TB as one trillion bytes. Your operating system divides by 1,024 at each step, so it reports the same drive as roughly 931 GB. Nothing is missing — the two sides are using different definitions of the same words.
The same distinction explains bandwidth. An internet plan advertised at 100 Mbps moves 100 megabits per second, which is 12.5 megabytes per second, because there are eight bits in a byte. A 1 GB file therefore takes a little over 80 seconds on that connection at theoretical speed, and longer in practice. Knowing both conversions turns vague marketing numbers into something you can plan around.
Data units explained
- Bit
- The smallest unit of digital information, either a zero or a one. Network speeds are measured in bits.
- Byte
- Eight bits. File sizes and storage capacities are measured in bytes.
- Binary kilobyte
- 1,024 bytes, as reported by most operating systems. The strict name for this is a kibibyte (KiB).
- Decimal gigabyte
- 1,000,000,000 bytes, the definition storage manufacturers use on packaging.
- Megabit per second
- One million bits per second, the standard unit for connection speed. Divide by eight for megabytes per second.
Estimating download and backup times
Divide the connection speed by eight to get megabytes per second, then divide the file size by that figure. On a 10 Mbps connection you get about 1.25 MB/s, so a 1 GB file takes around 13 minutes. On 100 Mbps, the same file takes roughly 80 seconds.
Backups are where the sums get uncomfortable. Moving a 1 TB drive over a 100 Mbps connection takes about 24 hours at full speed, and real-world speed is usually 60–80% of the advertised figure. Uploads are often slower than downloads on home connections, which matters when you are pushing large files to cloud storage. Check both directions before committing to a big transfer.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my 1 TB drive show less than 1,000 GB?
Manufacturers define 1 TB as 1,000,000,000,000 bytes, while operating systems divide by 1,024. So the same drive appears as about 931 GB in Windows.
How many megabytes are in a gigabyte?
Using binary units, 1 GB equals 1,024 MB. In decimal units it is 1,000 MB, which is why the two figures sometimes disagree.
How many bits are in a byte?
There are 8 bits in a byte. Internet speeds are usually quoted in bits per second (Mbps), while file sizes are in bytes, which is why a 100 Mbps connection downloads at about 12.5 MB/s.