Cheat Sheets
Updated March 2026
💾Digital Storage Reference Table
Quick-reference for digital storage units and common file sizes.
⚡Quick Reference
1 KB = 1,000 bytes | 1 MB = 1,000 KB | 1 GB = 1,000 MB | 1 TB = 1,000 GB | 1 PB = 1,000 TB
Storage Unit Conversions
| Unit | Bytes | KB | MB | GB | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Byte | 1 | 0.001 | 0.000001 | - | - |
| 1 KB | 1,000 | 1 | 0.001 | 0.000001 | - |
| 1 MB | 1,000,000 | 1,000 | 1 | 0.001 | 0.000001 |
| 1 GB | 1,000,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000 | 1 | 0.001 |
| 1 TB | 10¹² | 1,000,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000 | 1 |
| 1 PB | 10¹⁵ | 10¹² | 1,000,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000 |
Note: Decimal (SI) values shown. Binary: 1 KiB = 1,024 bytes, 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes.
Common File & Storage Sizes
| Content | Typical Size |
|---|---|
| Text email | 10-50 KB |
| Web page | 1-5 MB |
| MP3 song (4 min) | 3-5 MB |
| Photo (smartphone) | 2-8 MB |
| 1 hour podcast | 50-100 MB |
| HD movie (1080p) | 4-8 GB |
| 4K movie | 20-100 GB |
| Video game (modern) | 50-150 GB |
| Smartphone storage | 64-512 GB |
| External hard drive | 1-4 TB |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between MB and MiB?
MB (megabyte) uses decimal: 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes. MiB (mebibyte) uses binary: 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes. Your OS may show binary values while manufacturers use decimal.
How many photos can fit in 1 GB?
Roughly 200-500 smartphone photos (at 2-5 MB each) or about 1,000 compressed JPEGs.
How much storage do I need?
64 GB for basic phone use, 256 GB for photos/apps, 1 TB+ for video editing or large game libraries.
Is 1 TB really 1,000 GB?
Manufacturers: yes (decimal). Your computer may show ~931 GB because it uses binary (1 TiB = 1,024 GiB).