Micrograms to Milligrams Converter

Using the Micrograms to Milligrams Converter

This converter allows you to convert between two very small metric units of micrograms (mcg) and milligrams (mg).

Choose your input value as CONVERT FROM and your output value as CONVERT TO. Alternatively, use the preset options or click on the icon with the two arrows going in opposite directions, in order to swap the input and output values.

Once you have set the values, input the number into VALUE TO CONVERT and click on CONVERT.

Your result will be expressed as a decimal number in the output unit you selected, with an accuracy of up to 16 decimal places if necessary.

Use the COPY button next to the result if you need to copy and paste it later.

Additionally, you will also receive the conversion rate of your calculation at the very bottom of the result, which can be used for manual calculations, as we will see further on in the text.

Converting Micrograms and Milligrams Manually

Both units belong to the metric system and are derived from the base unit of mass, which is the gram. The Latin prefixes define their rate to the gram as follows:

The before-mentioned relation to the gram also defines the rates between the two units, as 1 milligram consists of 1,000 micrograms.

This allows us to create 2 formulae that will help with the manual conversion.

mcg = mg * 1,000

mg = mcg * 0.001

The most efficient way to use the formulae is to choose the one with the subject as the variable you are trying to calculate. Hence if you are trying to convert to micrograms, the first formula should be your choice, and if you are converting to milligrams, the second is the way to go.

The two examples below demonstrate how these formulae are used in practice.

EXAMPLE 1: A substance weighs 1.483 mg. Convert it to micrograms.

Since we are looking for micrograms, the first formula will be suitable.

mcg = mg * 1,000 \\= 1.483 * 1,000 \\= 1,483 ~mcg.

EXAMPLE 2: A vitamin sample weighs 724 micrograms. How many milligrams is that?

We will use the second formula, as it has milligrams as the subject.

mg = mcg * 0.001 \\= 724 * 0.001 \\= 0.724 ~mg.

Symbol of the Microgram

In a lot of textbooks or scientific articles, you might see an alternative symbol for the microgram as μ, which is the greek letter that is pronounced similarly to the word ‘me’.

This makes sense, as the first two letters we pronounce in ‘micro’ are very close to the pronunciation of this letter, or at least the closest out of all the letters in the Greek alphabet.

If you wish to write this symbol on your computer, you can do the following:

Overview of Very Small Units of Mass

Most things that are measured in milligrams or even micrograms are so small they are barely visible.

To gain some perspective, an average-sized metal paperclip weighs around 1 gram.

If we take this paperclip and manage to cut it into 1,000 equally sized pieces, that tiny speck of metal would be equal to about 1 milligram.

Now, in order to visualize a microgram, imagine taking one of these barely visible dust-like parts of the paperclip, and cutting it into a further 1,000 parts, essentially creating a millionth of the original paperclip. This microscopic part would be equal to 1 microgram.

But the microscopic units do not end there.

In science, even smaller units of size are defined, such as nanograms (a billionth of a gram) or even picograms (a trillionth of a gram).

These units find their usage in all fields that involve working with the material in amounts that are not measurable or observable by the human eye, or at least not in much detail.

These fields include engineering, medicine, chemistry, computer hardware technology, and microbiology.

Examples of Very Small Units of Mass

The table below will show 4 examples of small objects and their mass, to gain perspective on their weight in micrograms or milligrams.