Terabyte to Gibibyte Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert terabytes to gibibytes with our free online data storage converter.
Terabyte to Gibibyte Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Terabyte).
- The converted value in Gibibyte 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 Terabyte to Gibibyte
Converting Terabyte to Gibibyte involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Terabyte = 931.323 gibibytes
Example Calculation:
Convert 10 terabytes: 10 × 931.323 = 9313.23 gibibytes
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 Terabyte and a Gibibyte?
A terabyte (TB) is a multiple of the byte unit for digital information storage. The prefix tera- (symbol T) is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 1012 (1 trillion, or 1 followed by 12 zeros). Therefore, 1 terabyte = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. This is equivalent to 1,000 gigabytes (GB).
A gibibyte (GiB) is a unit of digital information storage equal to 230 bytes, which is exactly 1,073,741,824 bytes (or 10243 bytes). It uses the binary prefix 'gibi-' established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
Note: The Terabyte is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Gibibyte belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Terabyte and Gibibyte
The SI prefix 'tera-' (meaning 1012) was adopted for use in computing as storage capacities reached trillions of bytes. Historically, the term 'terabyte' was often used ambiguously to refer to either 1012 bytes (the strict SI definition) or 240 bytes (1,099,511,627,776 bytes), which is the power of 2 closest to a trillion. This ambiguity, particularly noticeable in how operating systems reported disk sizes versus how manufacturers advertised them, led the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to introduce the distinct binary prefix 'tebi-' (Ti) for 240. Thus, tebibyte (TiB) specifically denotes 240 bytes, while terabyte (TB) formally refers to 1012 bytes.
The prefix 'gibi-' (representing 230) was defined by the IEC in 1998 alongside other binary prefixes (kibi-, mebi-, tebi-, etc.). This standardization aimed to eliminate the confusion caused by using SI prefixes (like giga-) to denote both powers of 1000 (decimal, e.g., gigabyte, GB) and powers of 1024 (binary) which were common in computing. The term 'gibibyte' specifically refers to the 230 multiple of bytes.
Common Uses for terabytes and gibibytes
Explore the typical applications for both Terabyte (imperial/US) and Gibibyte (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for terabytes
Terabytes are widely used to measure large amounts of digital data storage capacity:
- Specifying the capacity of consumer and enterprise hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs).
- Measuring the size of large files, databases, archives, and backups.
- Quantifying the storage space available in cloud storage plans and data centers.
- Describing the amount of data transferred over networks or used in monthly internet data caps.
- Indicating the capacity of personal computers, laptops, external drives, and network-attached storage (NAS) devices.
Common Uses for gibibytes
Gibibytes are frequently used in contexts where binary precision is important:
- Measuring Random Access Memory (RAM) capacity accurately.
- Reporting file sizes and disk space by operating systems like Windows and some Linux distributions.
- Allocating memory and storage resources in software development and virtualization.
- Technical specifications for hardware and software requiring precise binary measurements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Terabyte (TB)
How many bytes are in a terabyte (TB)?
According to the standard SI definition, there are exactly 1,000,000,000,000 bytes (one trillion bytes, or 1012 bytes) in 1 terabyte (TB).
How many gigabytes (GB) are in a terabyte (TB)?
There are 1,000 gigabytes (GB) in 1 terabyte (TB). This follows the SI prefixes: 1 TB = 1012 bytes and 1 GB = 109 bytes. Therefore, 1 TB / 1 GB = 1012 / 109 = 103 = 1,000.
What is the difference between a terabyte (TB) and a tebibyte (TiB)?
- A terabyte (TB) uses the decimal SI prefix 'tera-' and equals 1012 bytes (1,000,000,000,000 bytes). It's commonly used in storage device marketing.
- A tebibyte (TiB) uses the binary IEC prefix 'tebi-' and equals 240 bytes (1,099,511,627,776 bytes). It's often used by operating systems to report storage capacity based on powers of 2. A tebibyte (TiB) is approximately 9.95% larger than a terabyte (TB) (1 TiB ≈ 1.0995 TB).
What is the difference between a terabyte (TB) and a terabit (Tb)?
- A terabyte (TB) measures data storage capacity in bytes and equals 1012 bytes.
- A terabit (Tb) measures data quantity or data transfer speed in bits and equals 1012 bits. Assuming the standard definition of 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 terabyte (TB) is equal to 8 terabits (Tb). Calculation: 1 TB = 1012 bytes = 1012 * 8 bits = 8 * 1012 bits = 8 Tb. Therefore, a terabyte represents 8 times more data storage capacity than the equivalent number of terabits.
Why is TB often used in marketing instead of TiB?
Storage manufacturers typically market drive capacities using the decimal prefix terabyte (TB) because 1012 bytes yields a larger, rounder number compared to the equivalent value expressed using the binary prefix tebibyte (TiB) (which is 240 bytes). For instance, a hard drive containing exactly 1,000,000,000,000 bytes is advertised as 1 TB. If measured in tebibytes, this same physical capacity would be approximately 0.909 TiB (since 1012 / 240 ≈ 0.909). Using TB allows manufacturers to present higher capacity figures, which is advantageous for marketing, even though operating systems might report the capacity using the smaller TiB value.
About Gibibyte (GiB)
How many bytes are in a gibibyte?
There are exactly 230 bytes in 1 gibibyte (GiB). This equals 1,073,741,824 bytes.
How many mebibytes (MiB) are in a gibibyte (GiB)?
There are 1,024 mebibytes (MiB) in 1 gibibyte (GiB). This is because 1 GiB = 230 bytes and 1 MiB = 220 bytes, and 230 / 220 = 210 = 1,024.
What is the difference between a gibibyte (GiB) and a gigabyte (GB)?
A gibibyte (GiB) represents 230 bytes (1,073,741,824 bytes), using the IEC binary prefix 'gibi-'. A gigabyte (GB) typically represents 109 bytes (1,000,000,000 bytes), using the SI decimal prefix 'giga-'. A gibibyte is approximately 7.37% larger than a gigabyte (1 GiB ≈ 1.074 GB). Use GiB for precision in binary contexts (like RAM, OS reporting) and GB for decimal contexts (like hard drive marketing, network speeds) or when the specific definition is clarified.
Conversion Table: Terabyte to Gibibyte
Terabyte (TB) | Gibibyte (GiB) |
---|---|
1 | 931.323 |
5 | 4,656.613 |
10 | 9,313.226 |
25 | 23,283.064 |
50 | 46,566.129 |
100 | 93,132.258 |
500 | 465,661.287 |
1,000 | 931,322.575 |