Convert Bytes to Bits

A bit (b) is the smallest unit of digital data. It can be 0 or 1. A byte (B) is a group of bits used to store and move data in computers.

To convert bytes to bits, use this rule:

• 1 byte (B) = 8 bits (b)

Formula:

• bits = bytes × 8

Examples:

• 1 B = 1 × 8 = 8 b
• 10 B = 10 × 8 = 80 b
• 256 B = 256 × 8 = 2,048 b

Tip: Watch the case. B means bytes and b means bits.

How many bits are in a byte?

There are 8 bits in 1 byte. This is the standard used in modern computing and data storage.

What is the difference between bits and bytes?

A bit is the smallest unit of data, shown as 0 or 1. A byte is a group of 8 bits. Bytes are common for file sizes, while bits are common for data speeds.

How do you convert bytes to bits?

To convert bytes to bits, multiply by 8.
Formula: bits = bytes × 8

How do you convert bits to bytes?

To convert bits to bytes, divide by 8.
Formula: bytes = bits ÷ 8

Why does 1 byte equal 8 bits?

Computers use bytes as a practical unit for storing values like letters and small numbers. An 8-bit byte can represent 256 different values (0 to 255), which fits common data needs well.

Are bits and bytes the same as b and B?

No. Lowercase b means bit. Uppercase B means byte.

• Mb = megabits
• MB = megabytes
  Mixing them up can change a value by 8 times.

How many bits are in 10 bytes?

Multiply by 8.
10 bytes × 8 = 80 bits

How many bits are in 100 bytes?

100 bytes × 8 = 800 bits

How many bits are in 1,000 bytes?

1,000 bytes × 8 = 8,000 bits

How many bits are in 1 KB (kilobyte)?

It depends on how KB is defined.

• 1 KB (decimal) = 1,000 bytes = 8,000 bits
• 1 KiB (binary) = 1,024 bytes = 8,192 bits

What’s the difference between KB and KiB when converting to bits?

KB usually means 1,000 bytes. KiB means 1,024 bytes. That small gap grows at larger sizes, so it matters for accurate byte-to-bit conversions.

Why do internet speeds use bits instead of bytes?

Network speeds are often shown in bits per second (bps) because early systems measured data as bit streams. File sizes are usually shown in bytes because bytes match how data is stored.

How do you convert bytes per second to bits per second?

Multiply by 8.
Formula: bps = B/s × 8
Example: 50 bytes/second = 400 bits/second

How do you convert bits per second to bytes per second?

Divide by 8.
Formula: B/s = bps ÷ 8
Example: 800 bps = 100 bytes/second

Does converting bytes to bits change the amount of data?

No. The data stays the same. Only the unit changes. It’s like converting inches to feet.

Are there cases where a byte is not 8 bits?

Almost all modern systems use 8-bit bytes. Some older or specialized systems used different sizes, but they are rare today. For most byte-to-bit conversions, 1 byte = 8 bits is correct.