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Bits to Bytes Converter
Convert bits to bytes, bytes to bits, and common data sizes such as kilobits, megabits, kilobytes, megabytes, kibibytes and mebibytes. This calculator uses explicit decimal and binary unit definitions so you can check storage sizes and network data rates.
Convert Data Units
Built-in Self-Test Results
| Conversion | Expected | Actual | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 bit → byte | 1 | 1 | PASS |
| 16 bit → byte | 2 | 2 | PASS |
| 1024 byte → bit | 8192 | 8192 | PASS |
| 1 kB → byte | 1000 | 1000 | PASS |
| 1 KiB → byte | 1024 | 1024 | PASS |
| 1 MB → kB | 1000 | 1000 | PASS |
| 1 MiB → KiB | 1024 | 1024 | PASS |
| 1 Gbit → MB | 125 | 125 | PASS |
Passed: 8 / 8
Bits and Bytes Conversion Table
| Unit | Equivalent bits | Equivalent bytes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bit | 1 | 0.125 |
| 1 byte (B) | 8 | 1 |
| 1 kilobit (kbit) | 1,000 | 125 |
| 1 kilobyte (kB) | 8,000 | 1,000 |
| 1 megabit (Mbit) | 1,000,000 | 125,000 |
| 1 megabyte (MB) | 8,000,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 1 kibibyte (KiB) | 8,192 | 1,024 |
| 1 mebibyte (MiB) | 8,388,608 | 1,048,576 |
| 1 gigabyte (GB) | 8,000,000,000 | 1,000,000,000 |
| 1 gibibyte (GiB) | 8,589,934,592 | 1,073,741,824 |
How to Convert Bits to Bytes
A bit is a single binary digit, either 0 or 1. A byte contains 8 bits. To convert bits into bytes, divide the number of bits by 8. To convert bytes into bits, multiply the number of bytes by 8.
Example: 1,024 bits to bytes
1,024 bits ÷ 8 = 128 bytes
Example: 5 megabytes to bits
Using decimal units, one megabyte is 1,000,000 bytes.
5 MB × 1,000,000 bytes/MB × 8 bits/byte = 40,000,000 bits
Example: 1 MiB to bits
A mebibyte uses a binary multiplier of 1,048,576 bytes.
1 MiB × 1,048,576 bytes/MiB × 8 bits/byte = 8,388,608 bits
Decimal Units vs. Binary Units
Decimal prefixes use powers of 1,000. Binary prefixes use powers of 1,024. The distinction matters when comparing storage capacities, file sizes, memory measurements and network data.
| Decimal unit | Value in bytes | Binary counterpart |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kB | 1,000 | About 0.9766 KiB |
| 1 MB | 1,000,000 | About 0.9537 MiB |
| 1 GB | 1,000,000,000 | About 0.9313 GiB |
| 1 TB | 1,000,000,000,000 | About 0.9095 TiB |
The symbols are different: kB means kilobyte (1,000 bytes), while KiB means kibibyte (1,024 bytes). Similarly, MB and MiB are not interchangeable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bytes are in one bit?
One bit equals one-eighth of a byte, or 0.125 bytes. Eight bits make one byte.
How many bits are in one kilobyte?
A decimal kilobyte (1 kB) contains 1,000 bytes, or 8,000 bits. A kibibyte (1 KiB) contains 1,024 bytes, or 8,192 bits.
What is the difference between MB and Mb?
MB commonly denotes megabytes, while Mb or Mbit denotes megabits. A megabyte is eight times as many bits as bytes in the corresponding quantity: 1 MB contains 8 Mbit.
Are internet speeds measured in bits or bytes?
Network connection speeds are commonly advertised in bits per second, such as Mbps or Gbps. Downloaded file sizes are commonly displayed in bytes, such as MB or GB. Remember that a rate conversion also depends on whether the units are bits per second or bytes per second.
Does this calculator round the answer?
The decimal places setting controls how many decimal places are displayed. Calculations use PHP floating-point arithmetic, so extremely large or extremely precise decimal values may be subject to floating-point precision limits.