Data Storage Converter
The Data Storage Converter works between bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes and petabytes. It uses the binary convention (1 KB = 1,024 bytes) used by operating systems and RAM, and notes this in the assumptions.
What this means
Digital storage is counted in bytes. Two conventions exist: binary (1 KB = 1,024 bytes), used by operating systems and RAM, and decimal (1 KB = 1,000 bytes), used by hard-drive sellers. This tool uses binary, the standard in computing.
How we calculate it
Formula
Result = Value × (factor of source unit) ÷ (factor of target unit), with each step equal to 1,024 bytes.Worked example
How many megabytes is 1 gigabyte?
- 11 GB = 1,024 MB (binary)
- 2Factor = 1024³ ÷ 1024² = 1,024
- 31 GB = 1,024 MB
Important assumptions
- Uses binary multiples (1 KB = 1,024 bytes), as used by operating systems. Storage-drive sellers often use decimal (1 KB = 1,000 bytes).
Frequently asked questions
Why does my hard drive show less space than advertised?
Drive sellers use decimal GB (1,000,000,000 bytes), while operating systems report binary GB (1,073,741,824 bytes), so the same drive reports a smaller number in the OS.
How many bytes are in a gigabyte?
In binary, 1 GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes (1,024³).
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