Digital Storage Converter - GB, TB, MB, GiB, TiB & More
Use our free Digital Storage Converter to convert digital storage units including bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, petabytes, kibibytes, mebibytes, gibibytes and tebibytes.
This storage converter is designed for comparing hard drive capacity, SSD storage, USB drives, memory cards, cloud storage, computer files and digital storage requirements.
The calculator supports both decimal SI storage units and binary IEC storage units, helping you accurately compare values such as GB and GiB or TB and TiB.
What Is a Digital Storage Converter?
A digital storage converter is a tool that converts the amount of digital information stored on computers and electronic devices from one storage unit to another.
Common storage units include bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB and PB. Binary storage units include KiB, MiB, GiB and TiB.
Digital storage conversion is useful when selecting hard drives and SSDs, comparing cloud storage plans, calculating file sizes, planning backups and determining how much storage is required for photos, videos and software.
Digital Storage Units
| Unit | Symbol | Bytes |
|---|---|---|
| Byte | B | 1 |
| Kilobyte | KB | 1,000 |
| Megabyte | MB | 1,000,000 |
| Gigabyte | GB | 1,000,000,000 |
| Terabyte | TB | 1,000,000,000,000 |
| Petabyte | PB | 1,000,000,000,000,000 |
| Exabyte | EB | 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 |
Binary Storage Units
Binary IEC units use powers of 1,024 rather than powers of 1,000. Their names include the prefix kibi-, mebi-, gibi- and tebi-.
| Binary Unit | Symbol | Bytes |
|---|---|---|
| Kibibyte | KiB | 1,024 |
| Mebibyte | MiB | 1,048,576 |
| Gibibyte | GiB | 1,073,741,824 |
| Tebibyte | TiB | 1,099,511,627,776 |
| Pebibyte | PiB | 1,125,899,906,842,624 |
GB to TB Conversion
In the decimal storage system, one terabyte contains 1,000 gigabytes.
For example:
TB to GB Conversion
To convert decimal terabytes to gigabytes, multiply the number of terabytes by 1,000.
Example:
GB to GiB Conversion
GB and GiB are different units. A decimal gigabyte contains exactly 1,000,000,000 bytes, while a gibibyte contains 1,073,741,824 bytes.
Therefore:
TB to TiB Conversion
A decimal terabyte contains 1,000,000,000,000 bytes, while a tebibyte contains 1,099,511,627,776 bytes.
Therefore:
MB to GB Conversion
Decimal storage uses 1,000 megabytes per gigabyte.
Example:
KB to MB Conversion
One decimal megabyte equals 1,000 kilobytes.
Example:
GB to Bytes Conversion
One decimal gigabyte contains exactly 1,000,000,000 bytes.
Example:
Digital Storage Conversion Chart
| Decimal Storage | Equivalent Bytes |
|---|---|
| 1 KB | 1,000 bytes |
| 1 MB | 1,000,000 bytes |
| 1 GB | 1,000,000,000 bytes |
| 1 TB | 1,000,000,000,000 bytes |
| 1 PB | 1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes |
GB vs GiB: What Is the Difference?
GB and GiB are frequently confused because their names are similar, but they represent different quantities.
| Unit | Bytes | System |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 1,000,000,000 | Decimal |
| 1 GiB | 1,073,741,824 | Binary |
Why Does a 1 TB Drive Show Less Storage?
Storage manufacturers commonly specify drive capacity using decimal units. Therefore, a drive marketed as 1 TB contains 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.
An operating system may display storage using a different calculation or terminology. This can make the displayed capacity appear smaller than the advertised decimal capacity.
The difference does not necessarily mean that storage is missing. It can simply result from different unit definitions and system overhead.
Digital Storage for Hard Drives and SSDs
Digital storage converters are useful when comparing HDD and SSD capacities such as 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB and larger drives.
When choosing a storage device, consider the actual number of bytes, the advertised capacity, formatting overhead, operating-system requirements and the amount of free space required for your files.
Storage Conversion for USB Drives and Memory Cards
USB flash drives, SD cards and other removable storage devices are commonly sold using decimal capacity measurements.
A storage converter can help compare advertised capacities with the amount of storage displayed by your computer or device.
Storage Conversion for Cloud Storage
Cloud storage services may advertise plans using GB or TB. Converting between these units makes it easier to estimate whether a storage plan is large enough for backups, documents, photos, videos and other digital files.
Common Digital Storage Examples
| Conversion | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 TB to GB | 1,000 GB |
| 2 TB to GB | 2,000 GB |
| 5 TB to GB | 5,000 GB |
| 1 GB to MB | 1,000 MB |
| 1 MB to KB | 1,000 KB |
| 1 GB to bytes | 1,000,000,000 bytes |
| 1 TB to bytes | 1,000,000,000,000 bytes |
| 1 GB to GiB | ≈ 0.931323 GiB |
| 1 TB to TiB | ≈ 0.909495 TiB |
Where Digital Storage Conversion Is Used
- Hard drive capacity calculations
- SSD storage comparisons
- USB flash drive capacity
- Memory card capacity
- Cloud storage planning
- Computer file size calculations
- Video storage planning
- Photo storage calculations
- Backup storage requirements
- Server storage planning
- Database storage planning
- Data-center capacity planning
How to Use the Digital Storage Converter
- Enter the storage value.
- Select the original storage unit.
- Select the unit you want to convert to.
- Click Convert.
- Use Swap Units to reverse the conversion.
- Use Copy Result to copy the answer.
- Use Reset to start another calculation.
Decimal vs Binary Storage
Decimal storage units are based on powers of 1,000:
1 MB = 1,000 KB
1 GB = 1,000 MB
1 TB = 1,000 GB
Binary storage units are based on powers of 1,024:
1 MiB = 1,024 KiB
1 GiB = 1,024 MiB
1 TiB = 1,024 GiB
Frequently Asked Questions
How many GB are in 1 TB?
Using the decimal storage convention, 1 TB equals 1,000 GB.
How many bytes are in 1 GB?
One decimal GB equals exactly 1,000,000,000 bytes.
What is the difference between GB and GiB?
GB is a decimal unit containing 1,000,000,000 bytes. GiB is a binary IEC unit containing 1,073,741,824 bytes.
How many bytes are in 1 TB?
One decimal TB equals 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.
How many MB are in 1 GB?
One decimal GB equals 1,000 MB.
How many KB are in 1 MB?
One decimal MB equals 1,000 KB.
Why does my 1 TB hard drive show less than 1 TB?
Manufacturers generally use decimal storage units, while your operating system may display the capacity using a different calculation or terminology. Formatting and system requirements can also affect available free space.
Is 1 TB the same as 1 TiB?
No. 1 TB equals 1,000,000,000,000 bytes, while 1 TiB equals 1,099,511,627,776 bytes.