Megabyte to Mebibyte Converter
Convert megabytes to mebibytes with our free online data storage converter.
Quick Answer
1 Megabyte = 0.953674 mebibytes
Formula: Megabyte × conversion factor = Mebibyte
Use the calculator below for instant, accurate conversions.
Our Accuracy Guarantee
All conversion formulas on UnitsConverter.io have been verified against NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) guidelines and international SI standards. Our calculations are accurate to 10 decimal places for standard conversions and use arbitrary precision arithmetic for astronomical units.
Megabyte to Mebibyte Calculator
How to Use the Megabyte to Mebibyte Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Megabyte).
- The converted value in Mebibyte 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 Megabyte to Mebibyte: Step-by-Step Guide
Converting Megabyte to Mebibyte involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Megabyte = 0.953674 mebibytesExample Calculation:
Convert 10 megabytes: 10 × 0.953674 = 9.53674 mebibytes
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.
Need to convert to other data storage units?
View all Data Storage conversions →What is a Megabyte and a Mebibyte?
A megabyte (MB) is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. The International System of Units (SI) defines the prefix mega- (M) as 1,000,000 (106). Therefore, one megabyte is exactly 1,000,000 bytes (or 1000 kilobytes).
Similar to the kilobyte, the term "megabyte" has historically been used ambiguously in computing to represent 1,048,576 (220 or 10242) bytes. This binary usage correctly refers to a mebibyte (MiB), a unit defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to eliminate confusion.
A mebibyte (MiB) is a unit of digital information storage equal to 220 bytes, which is exactly 1,048,576 bytes (or 10242 bytes). It uses the binary prefix 'mebi-' established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The mebibyte was created to provide an unambiguous measurement for byte multiples based on powers of 2, distinguishing it from the megabyte (MB), which is based on the decimal prefix 'mega-' (106 or 1,000,000 bytes).
Note: The Megabyte is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Mebibyte belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Megabyte and Mebibyte
The prefix 'mega-' (meaning million) was adopted as an SI prefix in 1960. As computer storage capacities grew beyond kilobytes in the 1970s and 1980s, megabyte became a common unit. However, because computer memory and architecture are often based on powers of two, 1024 * 1024 = 1,048,576 bytes became a convenient measure. This led to the widespread but conflicting use of "megabyte" for both 1,000,000 bytes (decimal) and 1,048,576 bytes (binary).
To address this ambiguity, the IEC introduced the binary prefixes (kibi-, mebi-, gibi-, etc.) in 1998. This standard designated MiB (mebibyte) specifically for 220 bytes and reaffirmed MB (megabyte) strictly for 106 bytes. Despite the standard, the dual usage persists, especially in marketing (using MB for 106) versus operating system reporting (often using MB ambiguously for 220, though sometimes correctly using MiB).
The prefix 'mebi-' (representing 220) was defined by the IEC in 1998 alongside other binary prefixes (kibi-, gibi-, tebi-, etc.). Before this standard, the SI prefix 'mega-' (M) was ambiguously used to represent both 1,000,000 (106, as per its SI definition) and 1,048,576 (220) in computing contexts. This led to confusion, especially when comparing storage capacities advertised by manufacturers (often using decimal prefixes) and memory sizes or file sizes reported by operating systems (often using binary interpretations). The introduction of the mebibyte (MiB) aimed to resolve this ambiguity by providing a specific term for 1,048,576 bytes.
Common Uses and Applications: megabytes vs mebibytes
Explore the typical applications for both Megabyte (imperial/US) and Mebibyte (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for megabytes
The megabyte (MB), representing 1,000,000 bytes, is commonly used for:
- Measuring the size of medium-sized files (e.g., high-resolution images, MP3 audio files, short video clips, documents with embedded images).
- Quantifying the capacity of older storage media like floppy disks and CDs.
- Specifying the size of software downloads or application components.
- Used by storage device manufacturers (hard drives, SSDs, USB drives) to define capacity based on the decimal system (106 bytes).
- Measuring data transfer rates in megabytes per second (MB/s or MBps).
The informal use representing 1,048,576 bytes (correctly MiB) appeared frequently in:
- Quantifying computer RAM capacity (though MiB is the precise term).
- Reporting file sizes or disk space by many operating systems and software, leading to discrepancies with advertised storage capacities.
When to Use mebibytes
Mebibytes are used in contexts where precision based on powers of 2 is necessary:
- Precisely measuring computer memory (RAM) capacity, which is typically manufactured in powers-of-2 sizes.
- Reporting file sizes and disk space usage by operating systems (like Windows, macOS, Linux distributions) and file systems that adhere to IEC standards.
- Software development, technical documentation, and virtualization where exact binary multiples are crucial for calculations, specifications, or resource allocation.
- Cache sizes in CPUs and other hardware components.
Additional Unit Information
About Megabyte (MB)
How many bytes are in a megabyte (MB)?
According to the official SI standard, 1 megabyte (MB) = 1,000,000 bytes (106 bytes). However, in some computing contexts, particularly older ones or relating to RAM, "megabyte" was informally used to mean 1,048,576 bytes (220 bytes). The correct term for 1,048,576 bytes is 1 mebibyte (MiB). Context is key if the specific symbol (MB vs. MiB) isn't used.
How many kilobytes (KB) are in a megabyte (MB)?
Based on the SI standard, 1 megabyte (MB) = 1000 kilobytes (KB) (since 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes and 1 KB = 1000 bytes). If using the binary interpretation (which should correctly use MiB and KiB), then 1 mebibyte (MiB) = 1024 kibibytes (KiB) (since 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes and 1 KiB = 1024 bytes).
What is the difference between a megabyte (MB) and a mebibyte (MiB)?
- MB (megabyte): Based on the decimal prefix 'mega-', meaning 1,000,000 bytes (106 bytes). This is the SI standard.
- MiB (mebibyte): Based on the binary prefix 'mebi-', meaning 1,048,576 bytes (220 bytes). This is the IEC standard for binary multiples.
A mebibyte (MiB) is approximately 4.86% larger than a megabyte (MB) (1 MiB ≈ 1.0486 MB). Using MiB when referring to 1,048,576 bytes avoids ambiguity, especially in contexts like RAM measurement or OS file size reporting.
What is the difference between a megabyte (MB) and a megabit (Mb)?
- A megabyte (MB) measures data storage in bytes. 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes (SI standard).
- A megabit (Mb) measures data storage or transfer speed in bits. 1 Mb = 1,000,000 bits (SI standard).
Since 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 megabyte (MB) is equal to 8 megabits (Mb). File sizes are typically measured in MB, while internet speeds are often measured in Mbps (megabits per second).
About Mebibyte (MiB)
How many bytes are in a mebibyte (MiB)?
There are exactly 220 bytes in 1 mebibyte (MiB). This equals 1,048,576 bytes.
How many kibibytes (KiB) are in a mebibyte (MiB)?
There are 1,024 kibibytes (KiB) in 1 mebibyte (MiB). This follows the binary prefix system where 1 MiB = 220 bytes and 1 KiB = 210 bytes, and 220 / 210 = 210 = 1,024.
What is the difference between a mebibyte (MiB) and a megabyte (MB)?
A mebibyte (MiB) represents 220 bytes (1,048,576 bytes), using the IEC binary prefix 'mebi-'. A megabyte (MB) typically represents 106 bytes (1,000,000 bytes), using the SI decimal prefix 'mega-'. A mebibyte is approximately 4.86% larger than a megabyte (1 MiB ≈ 1.0486 MB). Use MiB for precision in binary contexts (like RAM, OS reporting) and MB for decimal contexts (like hard drive marketing, network speeds in some cases) or when the specific definition is clarified.
What is the difference between a mebibyte (MiB) and a mebibit (Mib)?
A mebibyte (MiB) measures information in bytes, while a mebibit (Mib) measures information in bits. Assuming the standard 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 mebibyte (MiB) is equal to 8 mebibits (Mib). Both use the binary prefix 'mebi-' (220).
Why is MiB used less often than MB in marketing?
Marketing materials (like hard drive capacities) often use the decimal prefix (MB, GB) because it results in a larger-looking number for capacity compared to the binary prefix (MiB, GiB) for the same amount of physical storage (e.g., 1,000,000,000 bytes is marketed as 1 GB, while an OS might report it as approximately 931 MiB, not GiB, because 1 GB is closer to 953.67 MiB, but OS often report GiB as GB). This discrepancy arises because 1 MB = 106 bytes, whereas 1 MiB = 220 bytes. Using decimal units allows manufacturers to advertise higher numbers.
Conversion Table: Megabyte to Mebibyte
| Megabyte (MB) | Mebibyte (MiB) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.477 |
| 1 | 0.954 |
| 1.5 | 1.431 |
| 2 | 1.907 |
| 5 | 4.768 |
| 10 | 9.537 |
| 25 | 23.842 |
| 50 | 47.684 |
| 100 | 95.367 |
| 250 | 238.419 |
| 500 | 476.837 |
| 1,000 | 953.674 |
People Also Ask
How do I convert Megabyte to Mebibyte?
To convert Megabyte to Mebibyte, enter the value in Megabyte in the calculator above. The conversion will happen automatically. Use our free online converter for instant and accurate results. You can also visit our data storage converter page to convert between other units in this category.
Learn more →What is the conversion factor from Megabyte to Mebibyte?
The conversion factor depends on the specific relationship between Megabyte and Mebibyte. You can find the exact conversion formula and factor on this page. Our calculator handles all calculations automatically. See the conversion table above for common values.
Can I convert Mebibyte back to Megabyte?
Yes! You can easily convert Mebibyte back to Megabyte by using the swap button (⇌) in the calculator above, or by visiting our Mebibyte to Megabyte converter page. You can also explore other data storage conversions on our category page.
Learn more →What are common uses for Megabyte and Mebibyte?
Megabyte and Mebibyte are both standard units used in data storage measurements. They are commonly used in various applications including engineering, construction, cooking, and scientific research. Browse our data storage converter for more conversion options.
For more data storage conversion questions, visit our FAQ page or explore our conversion guides.
Helpful Conversion Guides
Learn more about unit conversion with our comprehensive guides:
📚 How to Convert Units
Step-by-step guide to unit conversion with practical examples.
🔢 Conversion Formulas
Essential formulas for data storage and other conversions.
⚖️ Metric vs Imperial
Understand the differences between measurement systems.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Learn about frequent errors and how to avoid them.
All Data Storage Conversions
Other Data Storage Units and Conversions
Explore other data storage units and their conversion options:
- Bit (b) • Megabyte to Bit
- Byte (B) • Megabyte to Byte
- Kilobit (kb) • Megabyte to Kilobit
- Kilobyte (KB) • Megabyte to Kilobyte
- Megabit (Mb) • Megabyte to Megabit
- Gigabit (Gb) • Megabyte to Gigabit
- Gigabyte (GB) • Megabyte to Gigabyte
- Terabit (Tb) • Megabyte to Terabit
- Terabyte (TB) • Megabyte to Terabyte
- Petabit (Pb) • Megabyte to Petabit
Verified Against Authority Standards
All conversion formulas have been verified against international standards and authoritative sources to ensure maximum accuracy and reliability.
International Electrotechnical Commission — Binary prefixes for digital storage (KiB, MiB, GiB)
International Organization for Standardization — International standards for quantities and units
Last verified: December 3, 2025