TB/TiB/GB/GiB Converter
Convert online TB, TiB, GB, and GiB labels while preserving exact bytes, platform wording, pair gaps, and procurement-ready capacity checks.{{ result.summaryTitle }}
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Introduction
Storage labels are easy to misread because decimal and binary units look similar but count different bytes. A terabyte is 10^12 bytes. A tebibyte is 2^40 bytes. The binary unit is larger, so the same byte total shows a smaller number when written as TiB instead of TB.
This difference explains the familiar gap between a drive's package label and what some operating systems report. The bytes are not missing. The display changed from a decimal family to a binary family, or from strict IEC wording to legacy shorthand.
Capacity planning works best when the exact byte total stays fixed and every label is treated as a different view of that same total.
Technical Details
The conversion first turns the entered value into bytes using the selected unit. Decimal units use powers of 1000. Binary units use powers of 1024. Every output row is then derived from that exact byte total.
| 1 GB | 1,000,000,000 bytes |
| 1 GiB | 1,073,741,824 bytes |
| 1 TB | 1,000,000,000,000 bytes |
| 1 TiB | 1,099,511,627,776 bytes |
| Same-byte conversion | bytes divided by the target unit size |
The tool can also build a reference brief from the current input or from a separate marketed drive label. Strict IEC wording uses TiB and GiB explicitly. Legacy Windows-style wording explains cases where binary math is displayed with GB or TB labels.
Pair-gap rows show the visible number drop for TB versus TiB and GB versus GiB at the current byte total. Crosswalk rows answer a different question: what package label would be needed to reach a true same-number binary target.
Everyday Use & Decision Guide
Enter the capacity exactly as it appears in the place you are checking: a drive box, cloud quota, filesystem output, storage invoice, or runbook. Choose the target unit you want featured in the headline, but use the matrix to compare all four units.
- Use Conversion Matrix for direct same-byte equivalents.
- Use Platform Labels when explaining why a decimal purchase label appears smaller in a binary report.
- Use Drive Checkpoints for common marketed labels.
- Use Capacity Brief when writing a short note for procurement or operations.
- Use Same-Bytes Pair Check to avoid comparing a same-number TB target with a same-number TiB target.
The common mistake is comparing 10 TB and 10 TiB as if they were the same promise. They are not. Same bytes produce different numbers, and same numbers require different bytes.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Enter a capacity value and choose TB, TiB, GB, or GiB.
- Select the headline target unit.
- Open Advanced to load examples, choose a reference mode, set precision, or switch between strict IEC and legacy wording.
- Check the exact bytes row before using a result in storage math.
- Export the table or JSON when the conversion needs to travel with a quote or ticket.
Interpreting Results
Same bytes is the anchor. If two rows have the same byte total, they describe the same capacity even when the visible numbers differ.
Strict IEC report is the clearest wording for engineering documents because TiB and GiB remove ambiguity. Legacy Windows-style display is useful when a platform uses binary math but still labels the output with decimal-looking symbols.
Pair gap is not a loss calculation. It is the visible difference caused by changing unit families.
Worked Examples
10 TB drive. Enter 10 TB and target TiB. The matrix shows about 9.095 TiB for the same 10,000,000,000,000 bytes.
4 TiB pool target. Enter 4 TiB and target TB. The decimal label is about 4.398 TB, which helps when buying disks to satisfy a binary operating target.
500 GB package label. Use the 500 GB preset and legacy wording. The brief explains why a binary display may show about 465.66 with GB-style shorthand.
FAQ
Is capacity missing when 1 TB shows as about 0.909 TiB?
No. The byte total is unchanged. TiB is a larger unit, so fewer TiB fit into the same bytes.
Which label should I use in documentation?
Use TB or GB for decimal purchasing labels. Use TiB or GiB for binary operating reports and engineering notes that need exact unit meaning.
Why can the same numeric target require more bytes?
A same-number binary target is larger. Ten TiB requires more bytes than ten TB.
Does rounding change the byte math?
No. Display precision changes only visible decimals. The model keeps the byte total as the shared source.
Glossary
- TB
- Terabyte, 10^12 bytes.
- TiB
- Tebibyte, 2^40 bytes.
- Strict IEC
- Wording that uses binary prefixes such as GiB and TiB explicitly.
- Same-byte pair
- Two labels that describe the same exact byte total.
References
- NIST binary prefixes, NIST.
- IEC 80000-13 sample, IEC sample document.