- What is the difference between MB and MiB (megabyte vs mebibyte)?
- MB (megabyte) is a decimal unit equal to 1,000,000 bytes (10^6), defined by the SI standard. MiB (mebibyte) is a binary unit equal to 1,048,576 bytes (2^20), defined by the IEC standard. The difference is about 4.86%. At the gigabyte scale, 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes while 1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes -- a 7.37% gap. Storage vendors use decimal (bigger numbers), while most operating systems display binary units.
- Why does my hard drive show less space than advertised?
- Storage manufacturers label drives using decimal units (1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes), but Windows displays sizes in binary units (GiB) while mislabeling them as 'GB'. So your 1 TB drive shows as approximately 931 'GB' (actually 931 GiB). No space is missing -- the two measurement standards simply produce different numbers for the same amount of bytes.
- Can I analyze the actual size of a file using this tool?
- Yes. Drag and drop any file onto the File Analyzer tab to instantly see its exact size in bytes and all converted units (KB, MB, GB in both decimal and binary standards). The file is inspected locally in your browser -- no data is uploaded to any server, so it is safe for sensitive files.
- How does the file transfer time estimator work?
- Enter a file size and select a connection speed preset (3G at 2 Mbps, 4G LTE at 50 Mbps, broadband at 100 Mbps, or gigabit fiber at 1000 Mbps) or enter a custom speed. The estimator converts between bits and bytes (1 byte = 8 bits) and calculates the theoretical transfer time. Real-world speeds are typically 60-80% of theoretical maximums due to overhead and network congestion.
- How do I convert MB to GB or GB to TB?
- In decimal: 1 GB = 1,000 MB, 1 TB = 1,000 GB. In binary: 1 GiB = 1,024 MiB, 1 TiB = 1,024 GiB. Enter your value in any unit, and the converter instantly shows the equivalent in all other units. For example, 1,500 MB = 1.5 GB (decimal) or 1,500 MiB = approximately 1.465 GiB (binary).
- What is the difference between bits and bytes in file sizes?
- 1 byte = 8 bits. File sizes are measured in bytes (B, KB, MB, GB), while network bandwidth is measured in bits per second (bps, Kbps, Mbps, Gbps). A 100 Mbps internet connection transfers about 12.5 MB per second. This distinction matters when estimating download times -- always divide the Mbps speed by 8 to get the MB/s transfer rate.
- Is this file size converter free to use?
- Yes. This file size converter is 100% free with no signup, no account required, and no usage limits. All calculations run in your browser. The file analyzer inspects files locally without uploading them. Safe for personal and professional storage planning.
