Bytes to Bits Converter
One byte of storage is 8 bits, so multiply bytes by 8 to get bits.
This page converts storage from bytes to bits. 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 bits back to bytes →
How do you convert bytes to bits?
Bytes to bits conversion multiplies by 8, because one byte is 8 bits; no prefix is involved, so the decimal and binary readings give the same answer.
4 bytes is 32 bits: multiply bytes by 8 for bits. A byte is 8 bits in both prefix readings, so there is no second answer.
- Type the number of bytes into the box at the top of the page.
- Multiply it by 8, the number of bits in one byte.
- Read the answer in bits. The same rule holds whichever prefix reading your system uses.
Bytes and bits are two rungs of one ladder; to pick any two storage units, including the binary units, use the full storage converter.
Bytes to Bits Conversion Table
Each row multiplies by 8. Every value in it is exact.
| Bytes | Bits |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 4 |
| 1 | 8 |
| 2 | 16 |
| 4 | 32 |
| 8 | 64 |
| 16 | 128 |
| 64 | 512 |
| 125 | 1,000 |
| 256 | 2,048 |
| 1,024 | 8,192 |
Worked Example: 4 bytes to bits
The first question for this page, worked through the one rule it needs.
How many bits is 4 bytes?
- 4 / 0.125 32 bit
Result: 4 bytes = 32 bits
A bit is 0.125 byte, so the working is a single division by that factor, which is the same as multiplying by 8.
Check it in reverse
Run the answer back through the same step and the starting figure returns: 32 bits / 8 = 4 bytes. To verify any other value, read the bits back as bytes and compare the result with the figure you started from.
Worked Examples: Bytes to Bits
Each example gives the value first, then the working. Click a value to load it in the converter.
How many bits is 2 bytes?
2 bytes is 16 bits.
Method: multiply by 8, the number of bits in a byte.
How many bits is 1,024 bytes?
1,024 bytes is 8,192 bits.
Method: multiply by 8, the number of bits in a byte.
How many bits is 16 bytes?
16 bytes is 128 bits.
Method: multiply by 8, the number of bits in a byte.
How many bits is 256 bytes?
256 bytes is 2,048 bits.
Method: multiply by 8, the number of bits in a byte.
How many bits is 1,000 bytes?
1,000 bytes is 8,000 bits.
Method: multiply by 8, the number of bits in a byte.
Every example above runs the other way too - turn each bit count back into bytes.
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.
- byte, factor to byte 1
- bit, factor to byte 0.125
- 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
Does 1,000 or 1,024 Change Bytes to Bits?
A byte is 8 bits in either prefix reading, so bytes to bits never changes; a kilobyte does: 1 kB is 8000 bits and 1 KiB is 8192 bits.
So the question of which prefix reading to use comes back as soon as a figure carries a prefix, and the converters for kilobytes and megabytes show both answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 1 byte 8 bits?
Yes. NIST's table of binary multiples writes it as 1 B = 2^3 bit = 8 bit. Multiply bytes by 8 for bits.
Is 32 bits 8 bytes?
No. 32 bits is 4 bytes, because 32 divided by 8 is 4. Eight bytes are 64 bits.
How many bits are in 1 MB?
8,000,000 bits in SI units, since 1 MB is 1,000,000 bytes. A mebibyte of 1,048,576 bytes is 8,388,608 bits.
Need the other direction? The same value converts straight back in the bits to bytes direction.
Related Conversions
The other storage units, including bits and the binary units, are on one converter for every storage unit.