Free Byte Converter Online
Convert between digital storage units with binary and decimal systems. Free, fast, and works entirely in your browser with no sign-up required.
Updated
Byte Converter
Comprehensive digital storage unit converter supporting bits through exabytes. Includes binary vs decimal (SI/IEC) modes, download time calculator, bandwidth calculator, favorites, and more.
Enter Value
Conversion Results
| Unit | Binary (IEC — 1024)KiB, MiB, GiB… | Decimal (SI — 1000)KB, MB, GB… | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bits | |||
| Bits | 8,589,934,592 b | 8,000,000,000 b | |
| Kilobits | 8,388,608 Kib | 8,000,000 Kb | |
| Megabits | 8,192 Mib | 8,000 Mb | |
| Gigabits | 8 Gib | 8 Gb | |
| Terabits | 0.0078 Tib | 0.008 Tb | |
| Petabits | 7.629e-6 Pib | 8.000e-6 Pb | |
| Exabits | 7.451e-9 Eib | 8.000e-9 Eb | |
| Bytes | |||
| Bytes | 1,073,741,824 B | 1,000,000,000 B | |
| Kilobytes | 1,048,576 KiB | 1,000,000 KB | |
| Megabytes | 1,024 MiB | 1,000 MB | |
| Gigabytes input | 1 GiB | 1 GB | |
| Terabytes | 0.001 TiB | 0.001 TB | |
| Petabytes | 9.537e-7 PiB | 1.000e-6 PB | |
| Exabytes | 9.313e-10 EiB | 1.000e-9 EB | |
Visual Scale (Byte Units)
What fits in 1 GB?
Plain text email
~200,000 fit (5.0 KB each)
JPEG photo
~333 fit (3.0 MB each)
RAW camera image
~40 fit (25.0 MB each)
MP3 song (3 min)
~222 fit (4.5 MB each)
1 hour Zoom call
~1 fit (700.0 MB each)
Storage Capacity Comparison
Binary vs Decimal
Binary (IEC)
Powers of 1,024. Used by OS, RAM. KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB, PiB, EiB.
Decimal (SI)
Powers of 1,000. Used by HDD/SSD makers. KB, MB, GB, TB, PB, EB.
1 KiB = 1,024 B | 1 KB = 1,000 B
1 MiB = 1,048,576 B | 1 MB = 1,000,000 B
1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 B | 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 B
Quick Reference
| Size | What it stores |
|---|---|
| 1 KB | Short paragraph of text |
| 1 MB | High-res photo or 1 min MP3 |
| 1 GB | ~200 songs or 1 hr SD video |
| 1 TB | ~250,000 photos or 500 hr HD |
| 1 PB | ~500 billion pages of text |
| 1 EB | ~1,000 petabytes |
Why does my hard drive show less space than advertised? Drive manufacturers use decimal units (1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes) while operating systems report in binary (1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes). A "1 TB" drive is ~931 GiB as shown in Windows/macOS.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Byte Converter?
The Byte Converter is a free online tool that converts between digital storage units like bytes, KB, MB, GB, and TB using both binary and decimal systems.
Is the Byte Converter free?
Yes, it is completely free with no registration required. All conversions happen client-side in your browser.
What is the difference between binary and decimal systems?
Binary (base-2) uses 1024 as the multiplier (KiB, MiB), while decimal (base-10) uses 1000 (KB, MB). The Byte Converter supports both standards.
Is my data safe with this tool?
Absolutely. The Byte Converter processes everything client-side in your browser. No data is uploaded to or stored on any server. Your content remains private on your device at all times.
Does the Byte Converter work on mobile devices?
Yes, the Byte Converter is fully responsive and works on smartphones and tablets. You can use it on any device with a modern web browser -- no app download required.
Do I need to create an account to use this tool?
No account or registration is needed. Simply open the Byte Converter in your browser and start using it immediately. There are no sign-up walls or usage restrictions.
How accurate are the calculations?
The Byte Converter uses industry-standard formulas and algorithms to ensure accurate results. However, for critical financial or medical decisions, always consult a qualified professional.
How do I use the Byte Converter?
Simply enter your input in the provided field, adjust any settings to your preference, and the tool will process it instantly. You can then copy the result to your clipboard or download it.
Which browsers are supported?
The Byte Converter works in all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. For the best experience, use the latest version of your preferred browser.
Why does my 1 TB hard drive only show about 931 GB?
The gap comes from two different counting systems, not a defect or hidden partition. Drive manufacturers advertise capacity in decimal units, where 1 TB equals 1,000,000,000,000 bytes (powers of 1000). Your operating system, however, measures the same space in binary units, where 1 GB is treated as 1,073,741,824 bytes (powers of 1024). Divide that one trillion decimal bytes by the binary value and you get roughly 931 GiB, even though Windows still labels it "GB." No storage actually disappears; the two standards simply describe identical bytes with different math. This converter shows both columns side by side, so you can type 1 TB in decimal and instantly read off the binary equivalent your file manager will display, ending the confusion for good.
What is the difference between MB and Mb (megabyte vs megabit)?
A megabyte (MB) and a megabit (Mb) differ by a factor of eight because one byte equals eight bits. Storage capacity is almost always quoted in bytes, so files, drives, and memory use MB, GB, and TB. Network and internet speeds, by contrast, are quoted in bits, so you see Mbps (megabits per second) on broadband plans. That is why a 100 Mbps connection downloads at only about 12.5 MB per second, not 100. Mixing the two is the most common source of confusion when estimating transfer times or comparing a plan to a file size. This converter handles both bits and bytes explicitly, letting you switch units and read the correct equivalent so you never accidentally multiply or divide by eight in your head.
How many bytes are in a gigabyte?
It depends on which standard you mean, which is why this question trips people up. In the decimal (SI) system used by drive makers and networks, 1 GB equals 1,000,000,000 bytes, since each step multiplies by 1,000: a kilobyte is 1,000 bytes, a megabyte is 1,000,000, and a gigabyte is one billion. In the binary (IEC) system used by most operating systems, the correct unit is the gibibyte (GiB), which equals 1,073,741,824 bytes, because each step multiplies by 1,024. The two differ by about seven percent, and the gap widens at terabyte and petabyte scale. Rather than memorizing these long numbers, enter any value here and the tool shows the exact byte count in both standards at once, with adjustable precision.
How do I estimate how long a file will take to download?
Transfer time depends on file size and connection speed, but the catch is the unit mismatch: files are measured in bytes while speeds are measured in bits per second. To do it by hand, convert the file to bits (multiply megabytes by eight), then divide by your speed in megabits per second. A 4 GB movie over a 100 Mbps line, for example, takes roughly five and a half minutes in ideal conditions, though real throughput is usually lower. This converter's Download Time tab automates that math: enter the file size, choose a speed or a preset such as 3G, 4G LTE, 5G, gigabit fiber, or USB 3.0, and it returns the estimate instantly. Use it before starting a large transfer or backup to know what to expect.
How do I convert Mbps to MB per second?
Divide the megabit-per-second figure by eight, because there are eight bits in every byte. So a 100 Mbps connection delivers about 12.5 MB/s, a 50 Mbps line gives roughly 6.25 MB/s, and gigabit fiber at 1,000 Mbps tops out near 125 MB/s in perfect conditions. Internet providers advertise in megabits to make numbers look larger, while your download manager reports progress in megabytes, which is why a speed test and a file transfer seem to disagree. Keep in mind that real-world speeds run below the advertised rate due to overhead, congestion, and Wi-Fi loss. To skip the arithmetic, enter your speed here and switch between bit and byte units, or use the Bandwidth tab to see exactly how much data a sustained speed moves over minutes, hours, or days.
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About the Byte Converter
The Byte Converter turns one digital storage figure into every other unit at once — bits and bytes, from a single bit up through kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, petabytes, and exabytes. Type a value, pick its unit, and you immediately see the binary and decimal equivalents side by side. It is built for developers checking a file size, IT teams sizing storage, students learning how data units relate, and anyone who has ever wondered why a "1 TB" drive shows up as roughly 931 GB on their computer.
Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded to a server, there is no sign-up, and no software to install. Your favorites and recent conversions are saved only on your own device using local storage, so the tool also works offline once the page has loaded.
Binary versus decimal: why the two columns differ
The single most useful thing this converter does is show both number systems at the same time, because storage is measured two different ways:
- Decimal (SI) uses powers of 1000. 1 KB = 1,000 bytes, 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes, and so on. Drive manufacturers and networks use this system.
- Binary (IEC) uses powers of 1024. 1 KiB = 1,024 bytes, 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes. Operating systems like Windows count this way but often still label it "KB" or "GB."
That mismatch is exactly why a 1 TB drive (1,000,000,000,000 bytes, decimal) appears as about 931 GiB in your file manager (binary). One byte equals 8 bits, which is why a "100 Mbps" connection delivers around 12.5 MB per second, not 100. Switch the standard toggle to binary, decimal, or both to see whichever convention you need.
Three calculators in one
Beyond raw unit conversion, the tool includes two practical calculators that share the same unit definitions:
- Unit Converter — enter any value and unit; every binary and decimal equivalent updates live. Set the decimal precision, flip on scientific notation for very large or very small numbers, copy any single result, or copy all conversions at once.
- Download Time — combine a file size with a connection speed to estimate how long a transfer takes. Speed presets cover common real-world links such as 3G, 4G LTE, 5G, 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps broadband, gigabit fiber, and USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) and USB 3.0 (5 Gbps).
- Bandwidth — multiply a sustained speed by a duration (seconds, minutes, hours, or days) to see how much data moves over that period — handy for capping monthly usage or planning a backup window.
Real-world uses and reference points
A byte converter saves you from error-prone mental math whenever storage and speed numbers collide. Common reference sizes worth keeping in mind:
- A 4-minute MP3 is roughly 4 MB; a high-quality JPEG photo is around 3–5 MB.
- A standard 1080p movie runs about 4 GB; a 4K movie can exceed 20 GB.
- A floppy disk holds 1.44 MB, a CD-ROM about 700 MB, a single-layer DVD 4.7 GB, and a Blu-ray 50 GB.
Use those alongside the storage comparison view to gauge how many files fit on a given medium, or pair a file size with a speed in the Download Time tab before starting a large transfer. Because the math happens on your device, results are instant and the figures you enter never leave your browser. Enter a value above and read off whichever unit, standard, or estimate you need.