AskANumber.com

Data Storage Converter

A 1 TB drive shows up as roughly 931 gibibytes because storage makers count in decimal units (1 TB = 10^12 bytes) while much of computing counts in binary (1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes). This converter handles both families — bytes, KB, MB, GB, and TB alongside KiB, MiB, and GiB — so the gap stops looking like missing space.

In Kilobytes
0.001KB
1 B = 0.001 KB
In context
1 b compared to:
A short email
5.0e-4×
1 MP3 song
2.5e-7×
HD movie
2.5e-10×
Photo library
1.0e-11×
Value
From
To
Decimal vs binary is the whole story
Decimal units (KB, MB, GB, TB) step by 1,000 and are what drive-makers advertise; binary units (KiB, MiB, GiB) step by 1,024 and are what your OS reports. That gap is why a 1 TB drive shows as 931 GiB.
Bytes, not bits
This converts bytes. Network and broadband speeds are quoted in bits (8 bits = 1 byte), so a 100 Mbps connection moves only about 12.5 MB per second.
All units
Bytes1
Kilobytes0.001
Megabytes0.000001
Gigabytes0.000000001
Terabytes1e-12
Kibibytes0.0009766
Mebibytes0.0000009537
Gibibytes9.3132e-10
Ask a follow-up
Uses your inputs above
0.001 in kilobytes. Want to try a variation?

The math

Reviewed 2026
Formula
Multiply or divide by the conversion factor to a base unit.

Related calculators

Time
Length
Energy

Example: how data storage is calculated

Step-by-step with default inputs

Suppose you put the default values into Data Storage Converter:

Value
1
From
Bytes
To
Kilobytes

Plug those into the formula Multiply or divide by the conversion factor to a base unit. and the result is:

In Kilobytes
0.001KB
Data storage units and their conversion factors
UnitSymbolIn bytes
BytesB1
KilobytesKB1,000
MegabytesMB1,000,000
GigabytesGB1,000,000,000
TerabytesTB1,000,000,000,000
KibibytesKiB1,024
MebibytesMiB1,048,576
GibibytesGiB1,073,741,824

Source: NIST official conversions

How does the data storage converter work?

Data Storage Converter uses the formula shown in the math card and cites NIST official conversions. Inputs are validated for sensible ranges; results are computed client-side for instant feedback and do not leave your browser.

References: NIST official conversions.

Last reviewed July 2, 2026 · Editorial policy

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between KB and KiB?

A kilobyte (KB) is 1,000 bytes; a kibibyte (KiB) is 1,024 bytes. The binary prefixes KiB, MiB, and GiB exist precisely to end the ambiguity of kilobyte meaning either one.

Why does a 1 TB drive show less than 1 TB?

Because 1 TB is one trillion bytes, and systems that report in binary units divide by 1,024 three times, giving 931.32 GiB. No space is missing — the two unit systems simply count differently.

How many MB are in a GB?

1,000 MB. A gigabyte is 10^9 bytes and a megabyte is 10^6 bytes. The binary counterparts differ: 1,024 MiB make one GiB.

How accurate is this data storage calculator?

The math is deterministic — the same inputs always produce the same output, and the formula is shown above. Accuracy of the answer for your situation depends on how well your inputs match reality and how well the formula models the question.

Why does Google show a slightly different conversion?

For most units the answer is identical to many decimal places. Differences usually come from currency rates (which fluctuate intraday — this tool shows the ECB's daily reference rates) or rounding. We display up to 4 decimals.

How do I share my result?

Hit Share at the top of the page. Every input you change is encoded in the URL, so a permalink reproduces exactly what you see. No account needed.