Convert Bytes to Bits
B to b · digital storage conversion
What are bytes and bits?
A byte is 8 bits, enough to store one character of text. A bit is the smallest unit of digital data, a single 0 or 1. For scale: a photo is a few MB, an HD movie a few GB, and a modern drive holds 1 TB or more. These use decimal (1 KB = 1,000 bytes).
How to convert bytes to bits
1 B = 8 b. To convert, multiply the number of bytes by 8. For example, 5 B = 40 b, and 20 B = 160 b. To go the other way, multiply bits by 0.125 (since 1 b = 0.125 B).
Bytes to Bits conversion table
| Bytes (B) | Bits (b) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 8 |
| 8 | 64 |
| 16 | 128 |
| 64 | 512 |
| 128 | 1,024 |
| 500 | 4,000 |
| 1,000 | 8,000 |
FAQ
What is 1 B in b?
1 B = 8 b. To convert any amount, multiply the number of bytes by 8.
How do I convert bits back to bytes?
Go the other way: 1 b = 0.125 B, so multiply bits by 0.125 to get bytes.
Is a byte bigger than a bit?
Yes — 1 B is the larger unit, equal to 8 b.
Are these digital storage conversions exact?
They use the standard internationally-defined conversion factors. Results are rounded to six significant figures for readability, which is accurate enough for everyday and most technical use.