Megabytes to kilobytes converter (MB to KB)
To convert megabytes to kilobytes, multiply by 1000: 1 MB is 1000 kB and 2.5 MB is 2500 kB. For binary mebibytes (MiB), multiply by 1024 to get kibibytes (KiB), so 1 MiB is 1024 KiB. The converter runs in your browser and changes the unit of a number, not the size of a file.
To make an image smaller in KB, use Image target file size. It aims for a limit you set and reports the bytes it reached.
Result
Choose your units, then select Convert.
MB to KB conversion table
| Input number | MB → kB | MiB → KiB |
|---|---|---|
| 0.01 | 10 | 10.24 |
| 0.05 | 50 | 51.2 |
| 0.1 | 100 | 102.4 |
| 0.2 | 200 | 204.8 |
| 0.25 | 250 | 256 |
| 0.5 | 500 | 512 |
| 1 | 1000 | 1024 |
| 1.5 | 1500 | 1536 |
| 2 | 2000 | 2048 |
| 5 | 5000 | 5120 |
| 10 | 10000 | 10240 |
| 25 | 25000 | 25600 |
The decimal answers move the point three places to the right, so 0.25 MB is 250 kB and 25 MB is 25000 kB. Each binary cell is 1.024 times the decimal cell beside it, which turns 0.25 MiB into 256 KiB.
The top half of the table lists parts of a megabyte, useful when a form states its limit in kilobytes. 0.2 MB is 200 kB and 0.5 MB is 500 kB. A size of 0.01 MiB comes to 10.24 KiB, so the binary column can end in decimals even where the decimal column does not.
MB to KB formulas
Decimal (base 10)
kB = MB × 1000
Example1.5 MB = 1500 kB
Binary (base 2)
KiB = MiB × 1024
Example1.5 MiB = 1536 KiB
Mega means one million and kilo means one thousand. A megabyte of 1,000,000 bytes therefore splits into 1000 kilobytes of 1000 bytes each. In binary, a mebibyte of 1,048,576 bytes splits into 1024 kibibytes of 1024 bytes each.
Mixed pairs go through bytes, since neither factor alone applies. 1 MiB is 1048.576 kB, and 1 MB is 976.5625 KiB. Choose MiB with kB, or MB with KiB, in From and To, and Convert gives those values exactly.
For the opposite direction, from kilobytes to megabytes, divide by 1000 or by 1024. Swap units on this page sets From to kB and To to MB, so the same form does both jobs.
How to convert MB to KB
The form opens on 1 MB to kB. Convert shows 1000 kB if you select it without changing a field.
- Enter the megabytes in Quantity. Whole numbers, decimals such as 0.2 and exponents such as 1e-3 all work, while thousands separators and letters do not.
- From holds MB and To holds kB. For kibibytes, set From to MiB and To to KiB. Swap units flips the direction.
- Leave Exact (no rounding) selected to keep every digit. Round to decimal places trims the answer to the number of places you type.
- Select Convert. The Result panel shows the kB value with the equation 1 MB = 1000 kB, and Other equivalent units lists the size in eight units.
Copy result places the equation and its precision note on the clipboard. Reset puts the form back on 1 MB to kB and clears the result.
Limits
This page does not compress, resize or open files. A 3 MB photo stays 3 MB; the converter only tells you that 3 MB equals 3000 kB. To bring an image under a limit in kilobytes, use the target size tool linked at the top.
A size in MB may count 1000 or 1024 kilobytes, depending on who wrote it. The tool cannot tell which one your number used, so choose MB or MiB in From to match the source.
Megabits and kilobits are separate entries in the lists. 1 Mbit is 125 kB, one eighth of the 1000 kB in 1 MB, so pick Mbit in From for a size written in megabits.
The answer prints in full with no E notation, and the page adds no length limit of its own. 1e6 MB prints as 1000000000 kB.
Questions
How many KB are in 1 MB?
1 MB holds 1000 kB in decimal units, which is how this converter reads MB and kB. In binary units, 1 MiB holds 1024 KiB. The two answers describe different amounts of data, since 1 MB is 1,000,000 bytes and 1 MiB is 1,048,576 bytes.
Is 1 MB 100 KB?
No. 1 MB is 1000 kB, ten times 100 kB, and 100 kB is 0.1 MB, a tenth of a megabyte. In binary units, 100 KiB is 0.09765625 MiB. Type 0.1 in Quantity with MB to kB selected, and Convert gives 100 kB.
How can I convert MB to KB?
Multiply the megabytes by 1000 to get kilobytes, or multiply mebibytes by 1024 to get kibibytes. For example, 2 MB is 2000 kB and 2 MiB is 2048 KiB. On this page, type the number in Quantity and select Convert; the form already holds MB and kB.
Can this page change a file from MB to KB?
No. It converts the number only, so it can tell you that a 2 MB file is 2000 kB, but the file stays the same size. To shrink an image under a limit in KB, use Image target file size, which also works in the browser.