Convert Word (word) to Byte (B) instantly.
About these units
Word (word)
A word is a unit of data whose size depends on the computer architecture, traditionally 16 bits but now often 32 or 64 bits. The word size determines the natural chunk of data a processor handles in a single operation, affecting register width, memory addressing, arithmetic precision, and overall system performance. As architectures evolved from early 8-bit systems to modern 64-bit CPUs, the meaning of "word" expanded too. Words are deeply tied to machine instructions, where addressing modes, opcodes, and data structures rely on word alignment. Thus, the word is both a conceptual and structural building block for computing hardware.
Byte (B)
A byte consists of 8 bits, forming the standard grouping used in computing for representing characters, numbers, and machine instructions. This 8-bit size became dominant due to hardware design choices in early microprocessors, especially the IBM System/360 architecture. Bytes allow computers to represent values from 0 to 255, enabling ASCII encoding, color values, file metadata, and vast amounts of structured data. The byte is the basis for nearly all storage units—kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes—and remains the fundamental digital "counting unit" for memory, disk space, and network transfers.