Petabytes (PB) to Megabytes (MB) Converter
Convert petabytes to megabytes.
1 PB = 1,000,000,000 MB
How to convert PB to MB
File sizes here use the decimal (SI) system, the same one drive makers and network providers use. In that system 1 Petabyte is 1015 bytes and 1 Megabyte is 106 bytes. Divide one by the other and you get the ratio between the two units: 1015 ÷ 106 = 109.
Petabyte is the bigger unit, so you multiply. Every PB holds 1,000,000,000 MB, which means the decimal point moves 9 places to the right.
On the ladder (B → KB → MB → GB → TB → PB → EB → ZB → YB → RB → QB) these two are 3 steps apart. Every step is a factor of 1,000, so 3 steps means 1,000 multiplied by itself 3 times, which is 109.
The formula
MB = PB × 1,000,000,0001 PB = 1,000,000,000 MB
Worked example 1: Converting 2 PB
2 PB × 1,000,000,000 = 2,000,000,000 MBThe decimal point moves 9 places to the right.
2 PB is the kind of space a large storage cluster in a data centre can hold.
Worked example 2: Converting 0.5 PB
0.5 PB × 1,000,000,000 = 500,000,000 MBThe decimal point moves 9 places to the right.
Worked example 3: Converting 12.75 PB
12.75 PB × 1,000,000,000 = 12,750,000,000 MBThe decimal point moves 9 places to the right.
Need the other direction? Open the MB to PB converter.
PB to MB examples
2 PB is the kind of space a large storage cluster in a data centre can hold. In megabytes that is 2,000,000,000 MB.
| PB | MB |
|---|---|
| 1 PB | 1,000,000,000 MB |
| 2.5 PB | 2,500,000,000 MB |
| 10 PB | 10,000,000,000 MB |
| 50 PB | 50,000,000,000 MB |
| 100 PB | 100,000,000,000 MB |
| 500 PB | 500,000,000,000 MB |
| 1,000 PB | 1,000,000,000,000 MB |
Where PB to MB comes up
A petabyte is 1,000 terabytes, or a million gigabytes. Petabytes belong to data centres, research archives, big analytics warehouses and the storage side of large cloud services.
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.
Going from petabytes down to megabytes 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.
PB to MB FAQ
How many megabytes are in 1 petabyte?
There are 1,000,000,000 megabytes in 1 petabyte, so 1 PB = 1,000,000,000 MB.
Is PB to MB 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 PB the two systems differ by about 12.6%.
How do I convert MB to PB?
Go the other way: divide by 1,000,000,000, which moves the decimal point 9 places to the left. The swap button on the converter does it for you.