GB to MB Converter

Convert gigabytes (GB) to megabytes (MB) easily and accurately.

Calculator

Enter Your Gigabytes

Enter the number of gigabytes you want to convert.

Guide

Understanding Digital Storage Units

Digital storage is measured in binary units that follow a hierarchical structure. Understanding these units is essential for effectively managing files and storage devices.

The Fundamental Units

  1. Bit (b): The smallest unit of digital data, representing either 0 or 1
  2. Byte (B): A group of 8 bits, capable of representing a single character

The Decimal vs. Binary Confusion

There are two different systems for measuring digital storage:

Decimal System (SI Units)

  • 1 Kilobyte (KB) = 1,000 bytes
  • 1 Megabyte (MB) = 1,000 KB = 1,000,000 bytes
  • 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1,000 MB = 1,000,000,000 bytes

Used by storage device manufacturers

Binary System (IEC Units)

  • 1 Kibibyte (KiB) = 1,024 bytes
  • 1 Mebibyte (MiB) = 1,024 KiB = 1,048,576 bytes
  • 1 Gibibyte (GiB) = 1,024 MiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes

How computers actually measure storage

Why does my 1TB drive show less space?

This difference between decimal and binary measurement explains why a 1TB hard drive might show up as approximately 931GB in your operating system. The drive manufacturer uses the decimal definition (1,000GB), while your operating system uses the binary definition (1,024GB).

Complete Digital Storage Hierarchy

Unit Symbol Decimal Value Binary Value
Bit b 0 or 1 0 or 1
Byte B 8 bits 8 bits
Kilobyte/Kibibyte KB/KiB 1,000 bytes 1,024 bytes
Megabyte/Mebibyte MB/MiB 1,000,000 bytes 1,048,576 bytes
Gigabyte/Gibibyte GB/GiB 1,000,000,000 bytes 1,073,741,824 bytes
Terabyte/Tebibyte TB/TiB 1,000,000,000,000 bytes 1,099,511,627,776 bytes

Practical Examples of File Sizes

  • Text document: 10-100 KB
  • MP3 song (3-4 minutes): 3-5 MB
  • High-resolution photo: 5-20 MB
  • Standard Definition movie: 1-2 GB
  • High Definition movie: 4-8 GB
  • 4K Ultra HD movie: 15-30 GB
Guide

How to Convert GB to MB

To convert gigabytes (GB) to megabytes (MB), follow these steps:

  1. 1
    Take the number of gigabytes (GB)
  2. 2
    Multiply by 1024 (1 GB = 1024 MB)
Example:

1 GB = 1 * 1024 = 1024 MB

2 GB = 2 * 1024 = 2048 MB

0.5 GB = 0.5 * 1024 = 512 MB

Examples

Common Examples

Example 1 1 GB

1 GB = 1024 MB

Example 2 2 GB

2 GB = 2048 MB

Example 3 0.5 GB

0.5 GB = 512 MB

Example 4 1.5 GB

1.5 GB = 1536 MB

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