KB to MB
One megabyte is 1,000 kilobytes, or 1,024 in the binary units that Windows shows. Type a size in kilobytes to see it in megabytes.
How to convert kilobytes to megabytes
Formula: megabytes = kilobytes ÷ 1000
For example, 500 KB is 0.5 MB. That is the decimal convention, in which kilo means a thousand and mega means a million, and it is what the calculator above uses. In the binary convention you divide by 1024 instead, and 500 KB comes to 0.488 MB.
Is a megabyte 1000 KB or 1024 KB?
Both are in use, which is why two programs can show two sizes for one file.
- 1000 is the official meaning of the prefixes. Drive and memory-card makers use it, and so do macOS and network speeds.
- 1024 is what Windows uses when it shows a file size, although it still writes KB and MB. The unambiguous names for these binary units are kibibyte (KiB) and mebibyte (MiB).
To convert the binary way with the calculator, choose Kibibytes (KiB) and Mebibytes (MiB) in the two lists.
KB to MB table
| Kilobytes | MB, dividing by 1000 | MB, dividing by 1024 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 KB | 0.001 MB | 0.001 MB |
| 10 KB | 0.01 MB | 0.01 MB |
| 20 KB | 0.02 MB | 0.02 MB |
| 50 KB | 0.05 MB | 0.049 MB |
| 100 KB | 0.1 MB | 0.098 MB |
| 200 KB | 0.2 MB | 0.195 MB |
| 250 KB | 0.25 MB | 0.244 MB |
| 500 KB | 0.5 MB | 0.488 MB |
| 512 KB | 0.512 MB | 0.5 MB |
| 750 KB | 0.75 MB | 0.732 MB |
| 1,000 KB | 1 MB | 0.977 MB |
| 1,024 KB | 1.024 MB | 1 MB |
| 1,500 KB | 1.5 MB | 1.465 MB |
| 2,000 KB | 2 MB | 1.953 MB |
| 2,048 KB | 2.048 MB | 2 MB |
| 5,000 KB | 5 MB | 4.883 MB |
| 5,120 KB | 5.12 MB | 5 MB |
| 10,000 KB | 10 MB | 9.766 MB |
| 10,240 KB | 10.24 MB | 10 MB |
| 100,000 KB | 100 MB | 97.656 MB |
What an upload limit means
A form that allows “2 MB” nearly always counts the binary way: 2 × 1024 × 1024 = 2,097,152 bytes, which Windows shows as 2,048 KB. A few count 2,000,000 bytes. If your file falls between the two figures, do not guess: make it a little smaller.
Limits given in KB work the same way. “Under 100 KB” normally means under 102,400 bytes. Compress image brings a photo under a limit you type, and compress PDF does the same job for documents.
Sizes you are likely to meet
| What | Kilobytes | Megabytes |
|---|---|---|
| A high-density floppy disk, sold as “1.44 MB” | 1,440 KB of 1,024 bytes | 1.47 MB, or 1.41 MiB |
| Three minutes of MP3 at 128 kbit/s | 2,880 KB | 2.88 MB |
| The 16 MB video limit long used by WhatsApp | 16,000 KB | 16 MB |
| Gmail's limit for attachments | 25,000 KB | 25 MB |
Bytes are not bits. Internet speeds are sold in megabits per second, and there are eight bits in a byte, so a 100 Mbit/s connection moves at most 12.5 MB each second. The unit converter covers bits, bytes, gigabytes and terabytes under Data size.
Questions
How many KB are in 1 MB?
1,000 KB in decimal units. In the binary units that Windows shows, 1,024 KB.
How many MB is 500 KB?
0.5 MB. Dividing by 1024 instead gives 0.488 MB.
How many MB is 1024 KB?
1.024 MB in decimal units, and exactly 1 MB the binary way.
How many MB is 2048 KB?
2.048 MB in decimal units, and exactly 2 MB the binary way. It is the figure behind most “2 MB” upload limits.
Is a KB bigger than an MB?
No. A megabyte is a thousand times larger than a kilobyte.
What is the difference between MB and MiB?
MB, a megabyte, is 1,000,000 bytes. MiB, a mebibyte, is 1,048,576 bytes, about 4.9% more.
Is it KB or kB?
The official symbol for a thousand bytes is kB, with a small k. KB with a capital K is far more common in software and is often used to mean 1,024 bytes.