Bytes to MB Converter
Enter a number of bytes to see both answers.
What Google, macOS, drive makers and internet providers use.
The unit Windows Explorer labels “MB”, and how RAM is sized.
Other conversions: Bytes to KB · Bytes to GB
How to Convert Bytes to MB
There are two correct answers, and which one you need depends on where your number will be compared. A decimal megabyte (MB) is exactly 1,000,000 bytes, the SI definition used by storage makers, internet providers, macOS and Google’s own calculator. A binary megabyte, properly called a mebibyte (MiB), is 1,048,576 bytes (1,024 × 1,024). Windows counts in this binary unit but still writes “MB”.
The formulas are simple divisions:
- MB (decimal) = bytes ÷ 1,000,000
- MiB (binary) = bytes ÷ 1,048,576
Example: a file of 1,073,741,824 bytes is 1,073.74 MB in decimal and exactly 1,024 MiB in binary. Both numbers describe the same file. The decimal number is about 4.9 percent larger at the megabyte level, which is why a download page and your file manager often seem to disagree.
Which Number Does My Computer Show?
- Windows (File Explorer, file properties, Task Manager): binary. A file of 1,073,741,824 bytes appears as 1,024 MB or 1.00 GB. Use the binary answer above.
- macOS (Finder, Get Info, since Mac OS X 10.6): decimal. 1 MB in Finder is 1,000,000 bytes. Use the decimal answer.
- Linux: depends on the tool.
ls -lh,du -handfree -hcount in 1,024s and print “M”; add--sifor decimal. GNOME Files shows decimal MB, KDE Dolphin binary MiB. - Google, drive packaging, cloud plans and internet speeds: decimal.
- RAM: always built in binary sizes, so “8 GB” of memory is 8 GiB.
If you are unsure, look at a known file: if 1,048,576 bytes is shown as “1 MB”, the program counts in binary; if it shows “1.05 MB”, it counts in decimal.
Bytes to MB Conversion Table
Common byte counts with both answers, rounded to six decimal places. Most of them come from code and configuration files, where sizes are powers of two.
| Bytes | MB (decimal) | MiB (binary, Windows “MB”) |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | 0.001 | 0.000954 |
| 1,024 | 0.001024 | 0.000977 |
| 16,384 | 0.016384 | 0.015625 |
| 65,536 | 0.065536 | 0.0625 |
| 100,000 | 0.1 | 0.095367 |
| 1,000,000 | 1 | 0.953674 |
| 1,048,576 | 1.048576 | 1 |
| 5,000,000 | 5 | 4.768372 |
| 10,485,760 (10 MiB) | 10.48576 | 10 |
| 26,214,400 (25 MiB) | 26.2144 | 25 |
| 100,000,000 | 100 | 95.367432 |
| 134,217,728 (128 MiB) | 134.217728 | 128 |
| 268,435,456 (256 MiB) | 268.435456 | 256 |
| 500,000,000 | 500 | 476.837158 |
| 536,870,912 (512 MiB) | 536.870912 | 512 |
| 1,000,000,000 (1 GB) | 1,000 | 953.674316 |
| 1,073,741,824 (1 GiB) | 1,073.741824 | 1,024 |
| 2,147,483,648 (2 GiB) | 2,147.483648 | 2,048 |
| 4,294,967,296 (4 GiB, the FAT32 file limit is 1 byte less) | 4,294.967296 | 4,096 |
Need kilobytes, gigabytes, bits or another unit? The Byte / Data Size Converter shows any value in all 18 units at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bytes are in 1 MB?
1 MB is 1,000,000 bytes in the decimal (SI) system. In the binary system that Windows uses, the unit called “MB” is 1,048,576 bytes; its official name is mebibyte (MiB).
How many MB is 1,073,741,824 bytes?
1,073,741,824 bytes are 1,073.741824 MB in decimal and exactly 1,024 MiB in binary, which is also exactly 1 GiB. Windows shows such a file as 1,024 MB or 1.00 GB, Google’s calculator as about 1,073.74 MB.
Why does Windows show a smaller size than the download page?
The download page usually counts in decimal megabytes (1,000,000 bytes), Windows in binary ones (1,048,576 bytes) while still calling them MB. The bytes are the same; Windows divides by a larger number, so its result is about 4.6 percent smaller.
How do I convert MB back to bytes?
Multiply instead of divide: decimal MB × 1,000,000, or binary MiB × 1,048,576. 5 MB are 5,000,000 bytes; 5 MiB are 5,242,880 bytes. For conversions starting from MB, use the Byte Converter with MB selected.