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Select a measurement and convert between different units
Single conversion
To convert from Kibibyte (KiB) to Tebibyte (TiB), use the following formula:
Let's convert 5 Kibibyte (KiB) to Tebibyte (TiB).
Using the formula:
Therefore, 5 Kibibyte (KiB) is equal to Tebibyte (TiB).
Here are some quick reference conversions from Kibibyte (KiB) to Tebibyte (TiB):
| Kibibytes | Tebibytes |
|---|---|
| 0.000001 KiB | TiB |
| 0.001 KiB | TiB |
| 0.1 KiB | TiB |
| 1 KiB | TiB |
| 2 KiB | TiB |
| 3 KiB | TiB |
| 4 KiB | TiB |
| 5 KiB | TiB |
| 6 KiB | TiB |
| 7 KiB | TiB |
| 8 KiB | TiB |
| 9 KiB | TiB |
| 10 KiB | TiB |
| 20 KiB | TiB |
| 30 KiB | TiB |
| 40 KiB | TiB |
| 50 KiB | TiB |
| 100 KiB | TiB |
| 1000 KiB | TiB |
| 10000 KiB | TiB |
For all Digital converters, choose units using the From/To dropdowns above.
A kibibyte (KiB) is a unit of digital information established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
It was created to provide a more precise way to measure data storage and eliminate common confusion with a similar-sounding unit, the kilobyte.
The core difference lies in the number system they use: binary vs. decimal.
A kibibyte (KiB) represents exactly 1,024 bytes. This number comes from the binary system (or base-2 math) that computers use, as it's a power of two (210).
In contrast, a kilobyte (KB) is often used, especially in marketing for storage devices, to mean exactly 1,000 bytes. This is based on the decimal system (or base-10 math) we use every day.
This difference is why the kibibyte was created: to offer a clear and unambiguous term for the binary-based measurements that computers and operating systems actually use.
To put it simply:
Kilobyte (KB)
Kibibyte (KiB)
Before 1998, the term "kilobyte" was ambiguously used to refer to both 1,000 and 1,024 bytes, which confused consumers and programmers alike.
To solve this problem, the IEC officially introduced a new set of prefixes specifically for binary measurements.
This new standard gave us the kibi (for kibibyte), mebi (for mebibyte, MiB), and gibi (for gibibyte, GiB), creating a transparent and standardized system for measuring data in the way computers actually "think."
Have you ever bought a 1 terabyte (TB) hard drive, only to plug it in and see your computer report it as having around 931 gigabytes (GB) of space?
You haven't been short-changed or lost any storage—it's just a difference in measurement systems.
Here's what's happening:
Ultimately, no storage is lost. It's like the difference between miles and kilometers—the distance is the same, you're just using a different unit to measure it.
A tebibyte (TiB) is a standard unit of digital information used in computing.
It is defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) as exactly 240 or 1,099,511,627,776 bytes. The plural form is tebibytes.
While they sound similar, a tebibyte (TiB) is not the same as a terabyte (TB).
The key difference lies in how they are calculated.
A tebibyte is based on the binary system (powers of 2), which is the language computers use.
In contrast, a terabyte is based on the familiar decimal system (powers of 10), which is often used in marketing.
This difference in calculation means a tebibyte is nearly 10% larger than a terabyte.
This is the exact reason why your new 1 TB hard drive shows up as having only about 931 GB of usable space on your computer—your operating system is measuring in the more precise binary units (like gibibytes), while the packaging was labeled using decimal units (terabytes).
Here's a simple breakdown of the differences:
The term "tebibyte" was officially introduced by the IEC in 1998 to clear up confusion. For years, "terabyte" was ambiguously used to mean both 1012 bytes and 240 bytes.
By creating binary prefixes like "tebi" (which stands for terabinary), the IEC established a clear and unambiguous standard.
This precision is essential for software developers, computer scientists, and anyone in a technical field where exact measurements are critical.
While you'll almost always see terabytes (TB) on the packaging for hard drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs), tebibytes (TiB) are the standard in many technical environments.
You will commonly find TiB and its smaller counterparts (like GiB) used in:
Using TiB in these fields ensures that calculations are accurate and prevents errors that can arise from confusing the two systems.