Bits to Bytes Converter
One byte of storage is 8 bits, so divide bits by 8 to get bytes.
This page converts storage from bits to bytes. A byte is 8 bits whichever way a system counts prefixes, so it gives one answer; the question of 1,000 or 1,024 starts only once a prefix such as k or M is attached.
Going the other way? Convert bytes back to bits →
How do you convert bits to bytes?
Bits to bytes conversion divides by 8, because one byte is 8 bits; no prefix is involved, so the decimal and binary readings give the same answer.
1,024 bits is 128 bytes: divide bits by 8 for bytes. A byte is 8 bits in both prefix readings, so there is no second answer.
- Type the number of bits into the box at the top of the page.
- Divide it by 8, the number of bits in one byte.
- Read the answer in bytes. The same rule holds whichever prefix reading your system uses.
Bits and bytes are two rungs of one ladder; to convert any storage unit into another, including the binary units, use the full storage converter.
Bits to Bytes Conversion Table
Each row divides by 8. Every value in it is exact.
| Bits | Bytes |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.125 |
| 4 | 0.5 |
| 8 | 1 |
| 16 | 2 |
| 32 | 4 |
| 64 | 8 |
| 100 | 12.5 |
| 128 | 16 |
| 1,000 | 125 |
| 1,024 | 128 |
Worked Example: 1,024 bits to bytes
The first question for this page, worked through the one rule it needs.
How many bytes is 1,024 bits?
- 1,024 x 0.125 128 byte
Result: 1,024 bits = 128 bytes
A bit is 0.125 byte, so the working is a single multiplication by that factor, which is the same as dividing by 8.
Check it in reverse
Run the answer back through the same step and the starting figure returns: 128 bytes x 8 = 1,024 bits. To verify any other value, read the bytes back as bits and compare the result with the figure you started from.
Worked Examples: Bits to Bytes
Each example gives the value first, then the working. Click a value to load it in the converter.
How many bytes is 16 bits?
16 bits is 2 bytes.
Method: divide by 8, the number of bits in a byte.
How many bytes is 32 bits?
32 bits is 4 bytes.
Method: divide by 8, the number of bits in a byte.
How many bytes is 64 bits?
64 bits is 8 bytes.
Method: divide by 8, the number of bits in a byte.
How many bytes is 100 bits?
100 bits is 12.5 bytes.
Method: divide by 8, the number of bits in a byte.
How many bytes is 1,000 bits?
1,000 bits is 125 bytes.
Method: divide by 8, the number of bits in a byte.
Every example above runs the other way too - turn each byte count back into bits.
Where These Factors Come From
The factors and rules above are read from the knowledge base rather than typed for the page. These are the lines it holds for this pair.
- bit, factor to byte 0.125
- byte, factor to byte 1
- byte, definition NIST's table of binary multiples writes one byte as 1 B = 2^3 bit = 8 bit, so a bit is one eighth of a byte, 0.125 B.
- How this page reports a result result in the target unit, decimal (SI) reading first and binary (IEC) reading beside it where the prefixes differ; printed in full where it fits in 10 significant figures, otherwise rounded to 10
Why Is 100 Mbps Only 12.5 MB per Second?
A rate in megabits per second divides by 8 for megabytes per second: 100 Mbit/s is 12.5 MB/s, because mega is 10^6 on both sides and a byte is 8 bits.
A line rate in Mbps counts bits and a file size counts bytes, so the same transfer reads eight times smaller in bytes. This page converts the units only and does not model a network.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 1 bit 8 bytes?
No, it is the other way round: 1 byte is 8 bits, so 1 bit is 0.125 byte, one eighth.
Does 1000 or 1024 matter for bits to bytes?
No. A byte is 8 bits in both readings, so bits divide by 8 either way. The difference appears only with a prefix: 1 kilobit is 1,000 bits in SI units, which is 125 bytes.
What are the symbols for a bit and a byte?
NIST's table of binary multiples writes the bit as bit and the byte as B, so Mbit/s is a rate in bits and MB is a size in bytes. Mbps is the everyday spelling of Mbit/s.
Need the other direction? The same value converts straight back in the bytes to bits direction.
Related Conversions
The other storage units, including bits and the binary units, are on the storage converter with every unit.