Kibibit to Byte Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool

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

From:

Kibibit

To:

Byte

How to Use the Calculator:

Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Kibibit).
The converted value in Byte 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 Kibibit to Byte

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

Formula:

1 Kibibit = 128 bytes

Example Calculation:

Convert 10 kibibits: 10 × 128 = 1280 bytes

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 Kibibit and a Byte?

A kibibit (Kib) is a unit of digital information equal to 210 bits, which is exactly 1,024 bits. It uses the binary prefix 'kibi-' established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The kibibit is closely related to the kilobit (kb), which is defined using the decimal prefix 'kilo-' (103 or 1,000 bits).

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).

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

History of the Kibibit and Byte

The prefix 'kibi-' (representing 210) was defined by the IEC in 1998 alongside other binary prefixes (mebi-, gibi-, tebi-, etc.). This standardization aimed to eliminate the confusion caused by using SI prefixes (like kilo-) to denote both powers of 1000 (decimal) and powers of 1024 (binary) which were common in computing. The term 'kibibit' specifically refers to the 210 multiple of bits.

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.

Common Uses for kibibits and bytes

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

Common Uses for kibibits

While less common in everyday usage than the kilobit (kb) – often used for data transfer rates (kbps) – the kibibit is important where binary precision for bit quantities is required:

Technical specifications for memory chips or data buses where capacities are measured in powers of 2 at the bit level.
Internal calculations within data communication protocols or hardware operating on binary multiples.
Theoretical calculations in computer science and information theory.
Ensuring accuracy when comparing binary (Kib) and decimal (kb) data quantities.

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).

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions About Kibibit (Kib)

How many bits are in a kibibit?

There are exactly 210 bits in 1 kibibit (Kib). This equals 1,024 bits.

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

A kibibit (Kib) represents 210 bits (1,024 bits), using the binary prefix 'kibi-'. A kilobit (kb) represents 103 bits (1,000 bits), using the decimal prefix 'kilo-'. A kibibit is 2.4% larger than a kilobit (1 Kib = 1.024 kb).

What is the difference between a kibibit (Kib) and a kibibyte (KiB)?

A kibibit (Kib) measures information in bits, while a kibibyte (KiB) measures information in bytes. Assuming the standard 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 kibibyte (KiB) is equal to 8 kibibits (Kib). Both use the binary prefix 'kibi-' (representing a factor of 210 or 1,024).

Why use kibibit instead of kilobit?

Using kibibit (Kib) removes ambiguity. When you see Kib, you know it specifically means 1,024 bits. Kilobit (kb) should mean 1,000 bits according to SI standards, but historically it was sometimes used informally to mean 1,024 bits, leading to confusion. Kib provides clarity in technical contexts requiring binary precision.

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.

Conversion Table: Kibibit to Byte

Kibibit (Kib)	Byte (B)
1	128
5	640
10	1,280
25	3,200
50	6,400
100	12,800
500	64,000
1,000	128,000

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 Kilobit 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