Quick Answer
How many bytes are in a megabyte?
// Answer
It depends on the standard. In the binary system used by operating systems, 1 MB = 1024 KB = 1,048,576 bytes. In the decimal system used by storage manufacturers, 1 MB = 1000 KB = 1,000,000 bytes. This is why a "1 TB" drive shows as ~931 GB in your OS.
Why use this tool
Make sense of file sizes
Switch between binary (1024) and decimal (1000) to match whichever context you are in — OS reporting, bandwidth, or drive marketing. Type in any unit and the rest convert instantly.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Both conventions exist. Operating systems use 1024 (binary); storage makers use 1000 (decimal). Toggle the standard here.
Drives are marketed in decimal (1000) but reported by the OS in binary (1024), so a 1 TB drive shows ~931 GB.
1024 GB (binary) or 1000 GB (decimal). It is 1,099,511,627,776 bytes in binary.
Yes, conversion runs entirely in your browser.
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