Data Storage Converter (MB to GB, GB to TB)
Convert file sizes and drive capacities between KB, MB, GB, TB and PB — or their binary twins KiB, MiB, GiB and TiB. See exactly how much usable space a drive reports and how many photos or movies fit.
Real-World Benchmarks
Multi-Unit Conversion Matrix
| Group | Measurement | Symbol | Equivalent Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bits | Bit | bit | 8.0000E12 |
| Bits | Kilobit | kb | 8.0000E9 |
| Bits | Megabit | Mb | 8,000,000 |
| Bits | Gigabit | Gb | 8,000 |
| Decimal (SI · 1000) | Byte | B | 1.0000E12 |
| Decimal (SI · 1000) | Kilobyte | KB | 1.0000E9 |
| Decimal (SI · 1000) | Megabyte | MB | 1,000,000 |
| Decimal (SI · 1000) | Gigabyte | GB | 1,000 |
| Decimal (SI · 1000) | Terabyte | TB | 1 |
| Decimal (SI · 1000) | Petabyte | PB | 0.001 |
| Decimal (SI · 1000) | Exabyte | EB | 1.0000E-6 |
| Binary (IEC · 1024) | Kibibyte | KiB | 9.7656E8 |
| Binary (IEC · 1024) | Mebibyte | MiB | 953,674.3164 |
| Binary (IEC · 1024) | Gibibyte | GiB | 931.3226 |
| Binary (IEC · 1024) | Tebibyte | TiB | 0.9095 |
| Binary (IEC · 1024) | Pebibyte | PiB | 0.0009 |
| Binary (IEC · 1024) | Exbibyte | EiB | 8.6736E-7 |
Step-by-Step Mathematical Explanation
- Step 1: Convert 1 TB to the base unit (B): 1 × 1,000,000,000,000 = 1.0000E12 B.
- Step 2: Convert base bytes to gibibytes: 1.0000E12 ÷ 1,073,741,824 = 931.322575 GiB.
- Direct factor: 1 TB = 931.32257462 GiB.
Essential Conversion Factors
Terabyte: 1,000 GB — hard drives and SSDs
Quick Answer & Key Storage Formulas
Direct Answer: To convert megabytes to gigabytes, divide by 1,000: GB = MB ÷ 1,000. To convert gigabytes to terabytes, divide by 1,000 again. In binary units, GiB = MiB ÷ 1,024. To see how a drive label appears in Windows, use GiB = GB × 0.931323: a 1 TB drive shows as 931 GB.
Understanding Storage Units & Conversion Math
Every storage unit counts bytes. Decimal units multiply by 1,000 per prefix (KB → MB → GB → TB), matching how drives, SSDs and cloud plans are sold. Binary units multiply by 1,024 (KiB → MiB → GiB → TiB), matching how memory is addressed and how many operating systems report space.
1. Megabytes to Gigabytes (MB → GB)
Decimal prefixes are powers of 1,000, so each step divides by 1,000:
Example: 2,500 MB ÷ 1,000 = 2.5 GB.
2. Gigabytes to Gibibytes (GB → GiB)
Convert to bytes (× 10⁹), then divide by 1,024³ bytes per GiB:
Example: 500 GB × 0.931323 = 465.66 GiB.
Why Is My 1 TB Drive Only 931 GB?
Drive makers use decimal terabytes; Windows divides by binary gibibytes but still prints "GB". Nothing is missing — the drive is exactly the advertised number of bytes:
A 2 TB SSD = 1,862.6 GiB, shown in Windows as "1.81 TB".
Typical File & Device Sizes
| Item | Size | Bytes | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain-Text Email | 10 KB | 10,000 | Without attachments |
| Smartphone Photo | 3 MB | 3,000,000 | 12 MP JPEG |
| MP3 Song | 9.6 MB | 9,600,000 | 4 minutes at 320 kbps |
| HD Movie | 4 GB | 4 × 10⁹ | 2-hour 1080p download |
| Smartphone Storage | 256 GB | 2.56 × 10¹¹ | Shows as ~238 GiB |
| Laptop SSD | 1 TB | 10¹² | Shows as ~931 GiB |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many MB are in a GB?
1 GB = 1,000 MB in decimal (SI) units. In binary units, 1 GiB = 1,024 MiB.
What is the difference between KB and KiB?
A kilobyte (KB) is 1,000 bytes; a kibibyte (KiB) is 1,024 bytes. The IEC introduced the "bi" prefixes in 1998 to end the ambiguity.
How many bits are in a byte?
A byte is 8 bits. That is why a 100 Mbps connection transfers at most 12.5 MB per second.
How many GB are in a TB?
1 TB = 1,000 GB. In binary units, 1 TiB = 1,024 GiB — and a 1 TB drive holds 931.32 GiB.