Calcylator
Megahertz to Hertz

Megahertz to hertz:
multiply by 1,000,000

Convert MHz to Hz for radio dials, clock speeds and electronics, with a chart, worked examples and the mistakes to avoid.

Calcylator Editorial Team

Updated · 6 min read

How many Hz are in a MHz?

One megahertz (MHz) is exactly 1,000,000 hertz (Hz). Mega is the metric prefix for a million, so a 1 MHz signal repeats one million times every second.

This is a pure power-of-ten conversion. There is no binary version as with memory sizes, so the factor is always 1,000,000 and the result is exact.

The MHz to Hz formula

Megahertz to hertz =Hz = MHz × 1,000,000
Hz:
frequency in hertz
MHz:
frequency in megahertz
1,000,000:
hertz in one megahertz
To go the other way, divide: MHz = Hz ÷ 1,000,000.

  • FM radio station

    98.3 MHz

  • Multiply

    98.3 × 1,000,000

Frequency in Hz

98,300,000 Hz

Move the decimal point six places to the right: 98.3 becomes 98,300,000.

A second example comes from electronics. The common Arduino Uno board runs its processor at 16 MHz, which is 16 × 1,000,000 = 16,000,000 Hz, or sixteen million clock cycles per second. A radio at 92.5 MHz is 92,500,000 Hz.

  1. Write the frequency in MHz, keeping the decimals.
  2. Multiply by 1,000,000, or shift the decimal point six places to the right.
  3. Add commas every three digits so the number stays readable.
  4. Check that your answer has six more digits than the whole-number MHz value.

Megahertz to hertz chart

Each row multiplies the MHz value by 1,000,000.

MHz to Hz
Megahertz (MHz)Hertz (Hz)
1 MHz1,000,000 Hz
2 MHz2,000,000 Hz
5 MHz5,000,000 Hz
10 MHz10,000,000 Hz
25 MHz25,000,000 Hz
50 MHz50,000,000 Hz
100 MHz100,000,000 Hz
250 MHz250,000,000 Hz
500 MHz500,000,000 Hz
1,000 MHz1,000,000,000 Hz

The last row is the link to the next unit: 1,000 MHz is 1 GHz, or one billion hertz.

Where MHz to Hz conversions appear

Radio tuning is the everyday example. FM broadcast stations are tuned in MHz, while the formulas for wavelength and antenna length take frequency in Hz. To work out a wavelength you divide the speed of light by the frequency in hertz, so a value in MHz has to be converted first.

Electronics and computing use it too. Microcontroller clocks, crystal oscillators and bus speeds are written in MHz, but timing code and calculators often want Hz. Wi-Fi bands are usually quoted in GHz, and 2.4 GHz is 2,400 MHz, so the same chain of factors of 1,000 applies there.

A quick sanity check

Common mistakes when converting MHz to Hz

  • Using 1,000 instead of 1,000,000. That converts MHz to kHz, not Hz.
  • Dividing when you should multiply. Hertz is the smaller unit, so the Hz figure is larger.
  • Losing track of zeros in long numbers. Writing commas as you go prevents this.
  • Mixing up m and M. A lowercase mHz means millihertz, a thousandth of a hertz, which is a billion times smaller than MHz.

Common questions

How many Hz are in 1 MHz?

One megahertz is exactly 1,000,000 hertz. The prefix mega means a million, so a 1 MHz signal completes one million cycles every second. The relationship is exact and has no binary alternative.

How do I convert MHz to Hz?

Multiply the megahertz by 1,000,000. For example, 7.5 MHz is 7.5 × 1,000,000 = 7,500,000 Hz. This is the same as moving the decimal point six places to the right.

How many Hz is 100 MHz?

100 MHz is 100,000,000 Hz, or one hundred million hertz. It sits inside the FM radio band, so a station tuned to 100 MHz transmits at exactly that many cycles per second.

How do I convert Hz to MHz?

Divide the hertz by 1,000,000. A 24,000,000 Hz clock is 24 MHz, and 3,500,000 Hz is 3.5 MHz. The MHz value is always much smaller than the Hz value you start with.

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