byte (B)
1 byte = 0.001 kilobytes (decimal)
What is byte?
A byte is a fundamental unit of digital information, typically comprising 8 bits. It is the standard unit for measuring file size, storage capacity, and data transfer quantities in computing.
Notes: Base unit for data
Real-world uses
The byte is the fundamental unit of digital information. File sizes, RAM capacity, hard drive storage, and network data quotas are all measured in bytes and their multiples. A byte is 8 bits and can represent 256 distinct values. Text encoding stores approximately 1 byte per ASCII character.
History
The term "byte" was coined by Werner Buchholz in 1956 while working at IBM on the Stretch computer. He defined it as a group of bits processed together. The 8-bit byte became standard with IBM System/360 in 1964 and has remained the universal digital unit since.
Common mistakes
Confusing bytes (B) with bits (b) — internet speed is often quoted in megabits per second (Mbps), while file sizes are in megabytes (MB). Downloading a 10 MB file at 10 Mbps takes about 8 seconds because 10 MB = 80 Mb.
When is this conversion used?
Converting byte to kilobyte (decimal) is useful in the data domain when comparing values across different measurement standards or applying formulas that require a specific unit.
How to convert byte to kilobyte (decimal)
To convert byte to kilobyte (decimal), multiply the value by 0.001.
Conversion formula (from base unit)
x * 1.0
Measurement standards
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC 80000-13) defines binary prefixes: 1 KiB = 1,024 bytes, 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes. The SI decimal prefixes (kB = 1,000 bytes, MB = 1,000,000 bytes) apply to data units as they do to all SI quantities.
Did you know?
By 2025, the global datasphere is estimated to reach 181 zettabytes — roughly 181 trillion gigabytes. If stored on standard Blu-ray discs, the stack would reach from Earth to Mars and back over 20 times.
| bytes | kilobytes (decimal) |
|---|---|
| 0.1 | 0.0001 |
| 0.5 | 0.0005 |
| 1 | 0.001 |
| 2 | 0.002 |
| 5 | 0.005 |
| 10 | 0.01 |
| 25 | 0.025 |
| 50 | 0.05 |
| 100 | 0.1 |
| 250 | 0.25 |
| 500 | 0.5 |
| 1,000 | 1 |
Common values
| bytes | kilobytes (decimal) | |
|---|---|---|
| A text email | 5,000 bytes | 5 kilobytes (decimal) |
| An MP3 song (4 min) | 4,000,000 bytes | 4,000 kilobytes (decimal) |
| A smartphone photo | 5,000,000 bytes | 5,000 kilobytes (decimal) |
| An HD movie | 5.000000e+09 bytes | 5,000,000 kilobytes (decimal) |
| A full hard drive | 1.000000e+12 bytes | 1.000000e+09 kilobytes (decimal) |
Full byte conversion table
| Unit | Value | Factor |
|---|---|---|
| kilobyte (decimal) | 1 B = 0.001 kB | × 0.001 |
| megabyte (decimal) | 1 B = 0.000001 MB | × 0.000001 |
| gigabyte (decimal) | 1 B = 1.000000e-09 GB | × 1.000000e-09 |
| terabyte (decimal) | 1 B = 1.000000e-12 TB | × 1.000000e-12 |
| bit | 1 B = 8 b | × 8 |
| kibibyte (binary) | 1 B = 0.00097656 KiB | × 0.00097656 |
| mebibyte (binary) | 1 B = 9.536743e-07 MiB | × 9.536743e-07 |
| gibibyte (binary) | 1 B = 9.313226e-10 GiB | × 9.313226e-10 |
| tebibyte (binary) | 1 B = 9.094947e-13 TiB | × 9.094947e-13 |