Data Unit Converter
Professional tool to convert digital storage units. Support for Binary (Base 2) and SI (Base 10) systems.
Drag & Drop a file here
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Comprehensive Guide to Digital Storage Units
Binary vs. Decimal (SI)
Understanding the difference between Binary (Base 2) and Decimal (SI / Base 10) is crucial. Operating systems like Windows usually use the Binary system where 1 KB equals 1024 Bytes. However, hardware manufacturers (like SSD/HDD makers) and networking standards often use the Decimal system where 1 KB equals 1000 Bytes.
Example Comparison:
- Binary: 1 GB = 1,073,741,824 Bytes
- Decimal: 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 Bytes
Common Conversion Factors
| Unit | Base 2 | Base 10 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 KB | 1024 B | 1000 B |
| 1 MB | 1024 KB | 1000 KB |
| 1 GB | 1024 MB | 1000 MB |
| 1 TB | 1024 GB | 1000 GB |
How to Use the Data Converter
Select System
Choose between Binary (1024) or SI (1000) at the top of the tool.
Enter Values
Type a number into any field. All other units update instantly in real-time.
Detect File Size
Simply drag any file into the drop zone to automatically calculate its size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my 1TB hard drive show as 931GB in Windows?
Hard drive manufacturers define 1TB as 1,000,000,000,000 bytes (Base 10). However, Windows uses the Binary system (Base 2) where 1TB is 1,099,511,627,776 bytes. Dividing the manufacturer's byte count by 1024 three times results in approximately 931GB.
What are Kibibytes (KiB) and Mebibytes (MiB)?
To resolve confusion, the IEC introduced prefixes like KiB, MiB, and GiB to explicitly refer to binary multiples (1024). Standard KB, MB, and GB are technically supposed to refer to decimal multiples (1000), though common usage varies.