Megabytes (MB) to Gigabytes (GB) Converter
Convert megabytes to gigabytes.
1 MB = 0.001 GB
How to convert MB to GB
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 Gigabyte is 109 bytes. Divide one by the other and you get the ratio between the two units: 106 ÷ 109 = 10−3.
Megabyte is the smaller unit, so you divide. One MB is only 0.001 of a GB, which means the decimal point moves 3 places to the left.
These two sit side by side on the ladder (B → KB → MB → GB → TB → PB → EB → ZB → YB → RB → QB), so there is nothing to work out beyond remembering that every step is a factor of 1,000.
The formula
GB = MB ÷ 1,0001 MB = 0.001 GB
Worked example 1: Converting 4 MB
4 MB ÷ 1,000 = 0.004 GBThe decimal point moves 3 places to the left.
4 MB is about one typical phone photo saved as a JPEG.
Worked example 2: Converting 0.5 MB
0.5 MB ÷ 1,000 = 0.0005 GBThe decimal point moves 3 places to the left.
Worked example 3: Converting 12.75 MB
12.75 MB ÷ 1,000 = 0.01275 GBThe decimal point moves 3 places to the left.
Need the other direction? Open the GB to MB converter.
MB to GB examples
4 MB is about one typical phone photo saved as a JPEG. In gigabytes that is 0.004 GB.
| MB | GB |
|---|---|
| 1 MB | 0.001 GB |
| 2.5 MB | 0.0025 GB |
| 10 MB | 0.01 GB |
| 50 MB | 0.05 GB |
| 100 MB | 0.1 GB |
| 500 MB | 0.5 GB |
| 1,000 MB | 1 GB |
Where MB to GB 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 gigabyte is 1,000 megabytes, about 250 photos at 4 MB each. Gigabytes are the language of phone storage, RAM, mobile data plans, game installs and USB sticks.
Going from megabytes up to gigabytes always gives a smaller number, because you are counting in bigger chunks. People do it to make a long number readable, or to compare a file with the size of a drive or a plan.
MB to GB FAQ
How many gigabytes are in 1 megabyte?
One megabyte is 0.001 of a gigabyte. It takes 1,000 megabytes to make 1 gigabyte.
Is MB to GB 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 GB the two systems differ by about 7.4%.
How do I convert GB to MB?
Go the other way: multiply by 1,000, which moves the decimal point 3 places to the right. The swap button on the converter does it for you.