Kilobytes to bytes
Multiply kilobytes by 1,000 to get bytes.
50 kB = 50,000 B
How to convert kilobytes to bytes
The byte is eight bits — the basic unit of digital storage. The kilobyte is one thousand bytes (10³ B) in the decimal (SI) convention.
Worked example — 50 kB: 50 × 1,000 = 50,000 B.
Kilobytes to bytes table
| Kilobytes | Bytes |
|---|---|
| 1 kB | 1,000 B |
| 2 kB | 2,000 B |
| 5 kB | 5,000 B |
| 10 kB | 10,000 B |
| 50 kB | 50,000 B |
| 100 kB | 100,000 B |
| 500 kB | 500,000 B |
| 1,000 kB | 1,000,000 B |
| 2,000 kB | 2,000,000 B |
Reverse and related
About kilobytes and bytes
Kilobyte (kB)
1 kB = 1,000 BDefinition. One thousand bytes (10³ B) in the decimal (SI) convention
History and origin
The kilobyte took the metric kilo prefix for a thousand, but in computing it was often used loosely for 1024 bytes. The IEC later defined the kibibyte for the binary value to remove the ambiguity.
Current use
Kilobytes measure small files and text documents; in strict decimal use a kilobyte is exactly one thousand bytes.
Source: IEC 80000-13 (quantities and units — information science); NIST on binary prefixes
Byte (B)
1 B = 0.001 kBDefinition. Eight bits — the basic unit of digital storage
History and origin
The byte was named in 1956 by Werner Buchholz at IBM, during the design of the Stretch computer, for the group of bits needed to encode one character — respelled from bite so it could not be confused with bit. Eight bits became the standard with the System/360 in the 1960s, giving 256 possible values.
Current use
The byte is the basic unit for file sizes and memory; storage and documents are measured in bytes and their multiples.
Source: IEC 80000-13 (quantities and units — information science); NIST on binary prefixes
Where people use this
Kilobytes: small files, documents. Bytes: file sizes, memory. 1 kB is 1000 bytes in the decimal convention.
Every value is carried to full double precision; the display is rounded.
Both units are defined in IEC 80000-13 (quantities and units — information science); NIST on binary prefixes.
Questions people ask
How many bytes in a kB?
One kilobyte is 1000 bytes in the decimal convention.
How many bytes is 5 kB?
5 kB is 5000 bytes.
Is a kilobyte 1024 bytes?
In binary (kibibyte) yes; the decimal kilobyte is 1000 bytes.