Byte to Kilobit Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool

Convert bytes to kilobits with our free online data storage converter.

From:

Byte

To:

Kilobit

How to Use the Calculator:

Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Byte).
The converted value in Kilobit will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Data Storage category.
Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.

How to Convert Byte to Kilobit

Converting Byte to Kilobit involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.

Formula:

1 Byte = 0.008 kilobits

Example Calculation:

Convert 1024 bytes: 1024 × 0.008 = 8.192 kilobits

Disclaimer: For Reference Only

These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.

Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.

What is a Byte and a Kilobit?

A byte is a unit of digital information that most commonly consists of 8 bits. Historically, the size of the byte has been hardware-dependent, but 8 bits is now universally accepted as the standard (also known as an octet).

A kilobit (kb or kbit) is a multiple of the bit unit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix kilo- (symbol k) is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 103 (1 thousand). Therefore, 1 kilobit = 1000 bits.

Note: The Byte is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Kilobit belongs to the imperial/US customary system.

History of the Byte and Kilobit

The term "byte" was coined by Werner Buchholz in 1956 during the early design phase for the IBM Stretch computer. It originally described a group of bits used to encode a single character, with the size varying (often 4 to 6 bits). The 8-bit byte became standard with the introduction of the IBM System/360 in the 1960s.

The use of the "kilo" prefix for bits emerged alongside its use for bytes as computer systems grew. While "kilobyte" was often ambiguously used for 1024 bytes (correctly kibibyte), the term "kilobit" (especially in data transmission contexts) more consistently adhered to the SI standard definition of 1000 bits. The introduction of binary prefixes like 'kibi-' (for kibibit, Kib) aimed to resolve such ambiguities.

Common Uses for bytes and kilobits

Explore the typical applications for both Byte (imperial/US) and Kilobit (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.

Common Uses for bytes

Measuring file sizes (e.g., kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes).
Representing single characters in character encoding systems (like ASCII, UTF-8).
Quantifying computer memory (RAM) and storage capacity (hard drives, SSDs).
Defining data types in programming languages (e.g., byte, char).

Common Uses for kilobits

Kilobits are frequently used in specific contexts:

Measuring data transfer rates (e.g., internet connection speeds in kbps - kilobits per second, or Mbps - megabits per second).
Quantifying the capacity of certain types of serial communication channels.
Specifying audio or video streaming bitrates (e.g., a 128 kbps MP3 audio file).

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions About Byte (B)

How many bits are in a byte?

There are 8 bits in one byte according to the modern standard.

What's the difference between a bit (b) and a byte (B)?

A bit is the smallest unit (0 or 1), while a byte is a group of 8 bits. Data storage is usually measured in Bytes (B, KB, MB, GB), while data transfer rates are often measured in bits (bps, kbps, Mbps).

How many values can a byte represent?

An 8-bit byte can represent 2^8 = 256 different values (from 0 to 255).

Why 8 bits?

The 8-bit standard emerged partly because it efficiently represents powers of 2 and accommodates encoding schemes like ASCII, which initially used 7 bits plus a parity bit.

About Kilobit (kb)

How many bits are in a kilobit (kb)?

There are exactly 1000 bits in 1 kilobit (kb), based on the standard SI definition of the prefix 'kilo-'.

What is the difference between a kilobit (kb) and a kilobyte (KB)?

They measure different aspects of data, though both use the 'kilo-' prefix:

A kilobit (kb) measures bits and equals 1000 bits. It's often used for data transfer rates.
A kilobyte (KB) measures bytes and, according to SI standards, equals 1000 bytes. It's often used for file sizes and storage capacity. (Note: Historically, KB was sometimes used informally for 1024 bytes, which is correctly termed a kibibyte (KiB)).

Since 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 kilobyte (1000 bytes) is equal to 8000 bits. Therefore, a kilobyte represents 8 times more data than a kilobit.

What is the difference between a kilobit (kb) and a kibibit (Kib)?

A kilobit (kb) uses the decimal SI prefix 'kilo-' and equals 103 bits (1,000 bits).
A kibibit (Kib) uses the binary IEC prefix 'kibi-' and equals 210 bits (1,024 bits).

A kibibit is 2.4% larger than a kilobit (1 Kib = 1.024 kb). Using Kib provides clarity when specifically referring to 1,024 bits, distinguishing it from the standard kilobit (1000 bits).

Why are internet speeds measured in kilobits (kbps) or megabits (Mbps)?

Data transmission over networks and communication lines often happens serially, meaning one bit is sent after another. Measuring the speed in bits per second (kbps, Mbps, Gbps) provides a direct count of how many of these individual bits can be transferred over the line in one second. Storage capacity (like hard drives or file sizes) is usually measured in bytes (KB, MB, GB) because data is typically organized and accessed in groups of 8 bits (bytes).

Conversion Table: Byte to Kilobit

Byte (B)	Kilobit (kb)
1	0.008
5	0.04
10	0.08
25	0.2
50	0.4
100	0.8
500	4
1,000	8

All Data Storage Conversions

Bit to Byte Bit to Kilobit Bit to Kilobyte Bit to Megabit Bit to Megabyte Bit to Gigabit Bit to Gigabyte Bit to Terabit Bit to Terabyte Bit to Petabit Bit to Petabyte Bit to Exabit Bit to Exabyte Bit to Kibibit Bit to Kibibyte Bit to Mebibit Bit to Mebibyte Bit to Gibibit Bit to Gibibyte Bit to Tebibit Bit to Tebibyte Bit to Pebibit Bit to Pebibyte Bit to Exbibit Bit to Exbibyte Byte to Bit Byte to Kilobyte Byte to Megabit Byte to Megabyte Byte to Gigabit Byte to Gigabyte Byte to Terabit Byte to Terabyte Byte to Petabit Byte to Petabyte Byte to Exabit Byte to Exabyte Byte to Kibibit Byte to Kibibyte Byte to Mebibit Byte to Mebibyte Byte to Gibibit Byte to Gibibyte Byte to Tebibit Byte to Tebibyte Byte to Pebibit Byte to Pebibyte Byte to Exbibit Byte to Exbibyte Kilobit to Bit Kilobit to Byte Kilobit to Kilobyte Kilobit to Megabit Kilobit to Megabyte Kilobit to Gigabit Kilobit to Gigabyte Kilobit to Terabit Kilobit to Terabyte Kilobit to Petabit Kilobit to Petabyte Kilobit to Exabit Kilobit to Exabyte Kilobit to Kibibit Kilobit to Kibibyte Kilobit to Mebibit Kilobit to Mebibyte Kilobit to Gibibit Kilobit to Gibibyte Kilobit to Tebibit Kilobit to Tebibyte Kilobit to Pebibit Kilobit to Pebibyte Kilobit to Exbibit Kilobit to Exbibyte Kilobyte to Bit Kilobyte to Byte Kilobyte to Kilobit Kilobyte to Megabit Kilobyte to Megabyte Kilobyte to Gigabit Kilobyte to Gigabyte Kilobyte to Terabit Kilobyte to Terabyte Kilobyte to Petabit Kilobyte to Petabyte Kilobyte to Exabit Kilobyte to Exabyte Kilobyte to Kibibit Kilobyte to Kibibyte Kilobyte to Mebibit Kilobyte to Mebibyte Kilobyte to Gibibit Kilobyte to Gibibyte Kilobyte to Tebibit Kilobyte to Tebibyte Kilobyte to Pebibit Kilobyte to Pebibyte Kilobyte to Exbibit Kilobyte to Exbibyte Megabit to Bit Megabit to Byte Megabit to Kilobit Megabit to Kilobyte Megabit to Megabyte Megabit to Gigabit Megabit to Gigabyte Megabit to Terabit Megabit to Terabyte Megabit to Petabit Megabit to Petabyte Megabit to Exabit Megabit to Exabyte Megabit to Kibibit Megabit to Kibibyte Megabit to Mebibit Megabit to Mebibyte Megabit to Gibibit Megabit to Gibibyte Megabit to Tebibit Megabit to Tebibyte