Digital guide
Data Storage Units Guide
Data storage conversion can be confusing because decimal and binary prefixes are both used in computers, storage devices, networks, and operating systems.
Bits and bytes
A bit is a single binary digit. A byte is commonly 8 bits. Network speeds are often shown in bits per second, while file sizes are usually shown in bytes.
Decimal units
Decimal units use powers of 1000: 1 KB = 1000 bytes, 1 MB = 1000 KB, 1 GB = 1000 MB, and 1 TB = 1000 GB.
Binary units
Binary units use powers of 1024: 1 KiB = 1024 bytes, 1 MiB = 1024 KiB, 1 GiB = 1024 MiB, and 1 TiB = 1024 GiB.
Why storage looks smaller
A drive sold with decimal capacity may appear smaller in software that reports binary units, even though the device is working normally.
Common conversions
Use decimal units for storage manufacturer labels and binary units when a software tool explicitly uses KiB, MiB, GiB, or TiB.