# Data storage converter

Convert bytes, MB, GB and TB, decimal and binary

Use it at https://www.quicktoolz.com/tools/data-storage-converter. From QuickToolz.

There are two ways to count data. Decimal units go up in thousands, so 1 GB is 1,000 MB. Binary units go up in 1,024s, so 1 GiB is 1,024 MiB. That’s why a 1 TB drive can show as about 931 GB on a computer, even though nothing is missing.

## How it works

result = value × bytes in first unit ÷ bytes in second unit

Drive makers and networks use decimal units. Some operating systems count in binary, but still label it GB, which causes the confusion.

Worked example: A 1 TB drive holds 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Divide by 1,024³ and that’s about 931.32 GiB, which is why it can show as 931 GB.

## Examples

| From | To |
| --- | --- |
| 1 Gigabytes | 1,000 Megabytes |
| 1 Gibibytes (binary) | 1,024 Mebibytes (binary) |
| 1 Terabytes | 1,000 Gigabytes |
| 1 Terabytes | ≈ 931.32 Gibibytes (binary) |

## What this tool doesn't cover

- Real free space is also reduced by the file system.
- Results show up to two decimal places.

## Questions

### Why does my 1 TB drive show 931 GB?

The drive holds a trillion bytes. Counted in binary units, that’s about 931 GiB.

### What is the difference between MB and MiB?

An MB is 1,000,000 bytes. An MiB is 1,048,576 bytes.

### Is a megabit the same as a megabyte?

No. A byte is 8 bits, so an internet speed of 80 Mbps moves about 10 MB a second.

### How many MB are in a GB?

1,000 MB in the decimal system that drive makers use, or 1,024 MiB in the binary system that some computers show.

### How long will a download take?

Change your speed from megabits to megabytes by dividing by 8. At 100 Mbps, you get about 12.5 MB each second.

## Sources

- [NIST: Prefixes for binary multiples](https://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/binary.html)