Data Storage Converter

Use this free data storage converter to instantly convert between bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, and petabytes. Enter any value and all units update automatically.

How to use this Data Storage Converter

Enter a data storage value in any field and all other units update automatically. Type a value in gigabytes to instantly see the equivalent in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, terabytes, and petabytes. Type in any field and all others convert at the same time. This converter uses binary (base-2) prefixes where 1 kilobyte equals 1,024 bytes, which is standard for memory, storage devices, and file sizes in most operating systems.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How many bytes are in a gigabyte?
A: In the binary system used by most operating systems and storage devices, one gigabyte equals 1,073,741,824 bytes (2³⁰). This is 1,024 megabytes, each containing 1,024 kilobytes, each containing 1,024 bytes. Storage manufacturers sometimes use the decimal definition where 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes, which is why a drive advertised as 500GB may show as slightly less in your operating system.

Q: What is the difference between GB and GiB?
A: GB (gigabyte) officially refers to 1,000,000,000 bytes in the decimal SI system used by storage manufacturers. GiB (gibibyte) refers to 1,073,741,824 bytes in the binary system used by operating systems. This calculator uses the binary definition (1,024-based) which matches how Windows, macOS, and Linux report file sizes. The discrepancy is why a 1TB hard drive shows as approximately 931GB in Windows.

Q: How much data does a gigabyte hold?
A: One gigabyte can store approximately 250 photos at average smartphone resolution, about 230 songs at standard MP3 quality, roughly 20 minutes of HD video, or over 1,000 ebooks. A standard streaming movie in HD quality is typically 2 to 4 GB. A 4K movie may be 15 to 50 GB depending on compression and length.

Q: How large is a petabyte?
A: One petabyte equals 1,024 terabytes or over one quadrillion bytes. To put it in perspective, one petabyte could store approximately 500 billion pages of standard printed text, 250 million DVDs worth of data, or over 200,000 years of music at standard quality. Petabyte-scale storage is used by large cloud providers and major research institutions.

Q: What is the largest unit of data storage?
A: Common units beyond the petabyte include the exabyte (1,024 PB), zettabyte (1,024 EB), and yottabyte (1,024 ZB). The total amount of data created and stored globally has reached multiple zettabytes and continues to grow rapidly. For everyday computing, terabytes and gigabytes are the most practical units — even large personal storage drives are measured in terabytes.