Megabytes (MB) to Bytes (B) Converter
Convert megabytes to bytes.
1 MB = 1,000,000 B
How to convert MB to Bytes (B)
File sizes here use the decimal (SI) system, the same one drive makers and network providers use. In that system 1 Megabyte is 106 bytes and 1 Byte is 100 bytes. Divide one by the other and you get the ratio between the two units: 106 ÷ 100 = 106.
Megabyte is the bigger unit, so you multiply. Every MB holds 1,000,000 B, which means the decimal point moves 6 places to the right.
On the ladder (B → KB → MB → GB → TB → PB → EB → ZB → YB → RB → QB) these two are 2 steps apart. Every step is a factor of 1,000, so 2 steps means 1,000 multiplied by itself 2 times, which is 106.
The formula
Bytes (B) = MB × 1,000,0001 MB = 1,000,000 B
Worked example 1: Converting 4 MB
4 MB × 1,000,000 = 4,000,000 BThe decimal point moves 6 places to the right.
4 MB is about one typical phone photo saved as a JPEG.
Worked example 2: Converting 0.5 MB
0.5 MB × 1,000,000 = 500,000 BThe decimal point moves 6 places to the right.
Worked example 3: Converting 12.75 MB
12.75 MB × 1,000,000 = 12,750,000 BThe decimal point moves 6 places to the right.
Need the other direction? Open the Bytes (B) to MB converter.
MB to Bytes (B) examples
4 MB is about one typical phone photo saved as a JPEG. In bytes that is 4,000,000 B.
| MB | B |
|---|---|
| 1 MB | 1,000,000 B |
| 2.5 MB | 2,500,000 B |
| 10 MB | 10,000,000 B |
| 50 MB | 50,000,000 B |
| 100 MB | 100,000,000 B |
| 500 MB | 500,000,000 B |
| 1,000 MB | 1,000,000,000 B |
Where MB to Bytes (B) comes up
A megabyte is 1,000 kilobytes, about a minute of MP3 audio at 128 kbps. Megabytes are what you see on photos, PDFs, songs and slide decks, and they sit behind most email attachment and upload limits.
A byte is eight bits, enough to store one character of plain English text. Bytes show up whenever you need the exact number: file properties, HTTP headers, memory buffers, database column limits and the counts programs print in logs.
Bytes are the base unit, so this gives the exact count that programs, APIs and file properties report.
Going from megabytes down to bytes always gives a bigger number, because the unit you land on is smaller. It is the usual direction when a limit or a form asks for a smaller unit than the one you have in mind.
MB to Bytes (B) FAQ
How many bytes are in 1 megabyte?
There are 1,000,000 bytes in 1 megabyte, so 1 MB = 1,000,000 B.
Is MB to B decimal or binary?
This page is decimal (SI), where 1 KB = 1,000 B. Operating systems often count in powers of 1,024 and still print KB, MB or GB, when they really mean KiB, MiB and GiB. At MB the two systems differ by about 4.9%.
How do I convert B to MB?
Go the other way: divide by 1,000,000, which moves the decimal point 6 places to the left. The swap button on the converter does it for you.