Whether it is a game update, a movie or a backup, knowing how long a download will take helps you plan. The formula is simple once you know the bits-vs-bytes rule.
In this guide
- The formula
- Download time chart
- Why downloads are slower than expected
- Convert units
The formula
Time (seconds) = File size in MB × 8 ÷ speed in Mbps.
Example: 1 GB (1,000 MB) at 20 Mbps → 1,000 × 8 ÷ 20 = 400 seconds ≈ 6 min 40 s.
Download time chart
| Speed | 1 GB | 5 GB | 10 GB | 50 GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Mbps | 13 min | 67 min | 2 h 13 min | 11 h |
| 25 Mbps | 5 min 20 s | 27 min | 53 min | 4 h 27 min |
| 50 Mbps | 2 min 40 s | 13 min | 27 min | 2 h 13 min |
| 100 Mbps | 1 min 20 s | 6 min 40 s | 13 min | 67 min |
| 300 Mbps | 27 s | 2 min 13 s | 4 min 27 s | 22 min |
| 1 Gbps | 8 s | 40 s | 80 s | 6 min 40 s |
Ideal times; real downloads are usually 10–20% slower.
Why downloads are slower than expected
- Wi-Fi interference and distance from the router
- The server’s own upload limit
- Other devices using the connection
- Network overhead
Check latency to a server with our Ping tool.
Convert units
Need to convert sizes first? Use GB to MB or Mbps to MB/s.
Frequently asked questions
How long is 1 GB at 5 Mbps?
About 27 minutes.
Does upload speed matter for downloading?
Not much, but very low upload can slightly slow downloads due to acknowledgements.
Why does my game download faster than the chart?
Some platforms compress data, so less is transferred than the installed size.
