How bits to bytes conversion works
A byte is a group of 8 bits, the smallest unit most computers address at once. To convert bits to bytes, divide by 8. For 64 bits: 64 ÷ 8 = 8 bytes. Bits (lowercase b) are used for data rates like Mbps, while bytes (uppercase B) describe file sizes.
The distinction shows up constantly in real numbers. A 100 Mbps connection carries 100,000,000 bits per second, which is 12.5 MB per second - roughly an eighth of the figure people expect. Divide any advertised speed by 8 to get the download rate your file manager will show.
Worth having open at the same time: the gigabytes to megabytes calculator.
How to use this calculator
Enter the number of bits and read the result in bytes. Because there are 8 bits per byte, the value is always one eighth of the bit count. To convert the other way, use the bytes to bits calculator.
Everything is calculated in your browser, so nothing you enter is sent anywhere. Decimal inputs are fine: 4.5 bits returns 0.5625 bytes, useful for variable-length fields.
Keep the binary to decimal calculator nearby for the rest of the same job.
Bits to bytes reference table
Common conversions:
| Bits | Bytes |
|---|---|
| 8 bits | 1 byte |
| 16 bits | 2 bytes |
| 32 bits | 4 bytes |
| 64 bits | 8 bytes |
| 1024 bits | 128 bytes |
For larger units, see the megabytes to gigabytes calculator.
Some fixed sizes are worth memorising from that table. A 32-bit integer or IPv4 address is 4 bytes, a 64-bit timestamp is 8 bytes, and a 128-bit UUID is 16 bytes. Multiply by row count and you have a quick estimate of how much space a database column will occupy.
Frequently asked questions
- How many bytes is 64 bits?
- 8 bytes. There are 8 bits in a byte, so 64 ÷ 8 = 8.
- How do I convert bits to bytes?
- Divide the number of bits by 8, since one byte equals 8 bits.
- What is the difference between a bit and a byte?
- A bit is a single 0 or 1; a byte is 8 bits grouped together to represent one character or value.
- Why are internet speeds in bits but files in bytes?
- Network speed is measured in bits per second, while file sizes use bytes, so an 8 Mbps link transfers about 1 MB per second.
- What if my bit count is not a multiple of 8?
- You get a fractional result - 12 bits is 1.5 bytes. Storage always rounds up to a whole byte, so 12 bits of real data occupies 2 bytes on disk, with the spare 4 bits left as padding.