Calculation Calculator

    MB to GB Converter

    MB ⇄ GB Converter

    Convert megabytes and gigabytes using Decimal (SI) or Binary (IEC) standards. See both results side-by-side plus bytes.
    Enter a value and click Calculate

    What the MB to GB converter actually does

    Type a number in MB or GB, choose the standard (Decimal/SI or Binary/IEC), and get instant results. The tool converts via bytes for accuracy, shows side-by-side SI and IEC values, and lets you choose how many decimals you want for clean reporting.

    • Works both ways (MB ⇄ GB)
    • Shows bytes, plus MB/GB/TB (SI) and MiB/GiB/TiB (IEC)
    • Adjustable rounding for neat or precise outputs
    MB to GB Converter 

    Megabytes (MB) and gigabytes (GB) are just different-sized containers for data—like cups and liters for water. The confusion comes from two ways the world counts: some use powers of 10 (easy for marketing), others use powers of 2 (natural for computers). That’s why your “256 GB” drive may look smaller on your computer—it’s the same bytes, described with a different yardstick.

    Two standards you should know (SI vs IEC)

    Decimal (SI) — common on product boxes, cloud plans, and many websites:

    • 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes
    • 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes
    • 1 GB = 1,000 MB

    Binary (IEC) — common in operating systems and technical tools:

    • 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes
    • 1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes
    • 1 GiB = 1,024 MiB
       (People often say MB/GB when they really mean MiB/GiB—our tool shows both so you can compare.)

    When to use which:

    • Hardware labels & cloud pricing: SI (decimal)
    • File explorers, dev tools, OS readouts: IEC (binary)

    How to convert (step by step)

    MB → GB (Decimal/SI):

    1. Start with MB.
    2. Divide by 1,000 to get GB.
      • Formula: GB = MB ÷ 1,000

    MiB → GiB (Binary/IEC):

    1. Start with MiB.
    2. Divide by 1,024 to get GiB.
      • Formula: GiB = MiB ÷ 1,024

    Rounding tip: Choose 1–2 decimals for readability (web pages, slides). Choose 3–4 decimals for planning (backups, capacity).

    Examples (quick and practical)

    • 1536 MB (SI) → GB
       GB = 1536 ÷ 1000 = 1.536 GB
       (Matches what many download pages mean by MB.)
    • 1536 MiB (IEC) → GiB
       GiB = 1536 ÷ 1024 = 1.5 GiB
       (Matches what OS/file tools often mean by “MB.”)
    • 2.5 GB (SI) → MB
       MB = 2.5 × 1000 = 2500 MB
    • “Why does my 256 GB phone show less?”
       The box uses SI (decimal). Your device may display IEC (binary) and also reserves space for the system.
      256,000,000,000 bytes ≈ 238.42 GiB (same bytes, different yardstick).

    Tips to avoid confusion

    • Pick the standard that matches your source. If you’re checking a product label or cloud plan, use SI. If you’re matching your OS, use IEC.
    • Be consistent in reports. State the standard once (“All sizes are SI”) and stick to it.
    • Round sensibly. For rough comparisons, 1–2 decimals is perfect; for capacity planning, use more.

    Tiny cheat sheet

    • 1 GB (SI) = 1,000 MB
    • 1 GiB (IEC) = 1,024 MiB
    • 1 GB ≈ 0.93 GiB
    • 1 GiB ≈ 1.07 GB