1 millisecond (ms) is equal to 1000 microseconds (µs).
Since 1 millisecond represents one thousandth of a second, and 1 microsecond is one millionth of a second, converting milliseconds to microseconds involves multiplying by 1000. Therefore, 1 ms equals 1000 µs.
Conversion Tool
Result in microsecond:
Conversion Formula
The formula to convert milliseconds (ms) to microseconds (µs) is:
microseconds = milliseconds × 1000
This works because 1 millisecond equals one thousand microseconds. Since “milli-” means one thousandth (1/1000) and “micro-” means one millionth (1/1,000,000), multiplying by 1000 moves the decimal three places to the right. For example:
- If you have 1 ms, multiply by 1000: 1 × 1000 = 1000 µs
- If you have 2.5 ms, multiply by 1000: 2.5 × 1000 = 2500 µs
Conversion Example
- 5 ms to microseconds
- Take 5 milliseconds.
- Multiply by 1000: 5 × 1000.
- The result is 5000 microseconds.
- 12.3 ms to microseconds
- Start with 12.3 milliseconds.
- Multiply by 1000: 12.3 × 1000.
- Result is 12300 microseconds.
- 0.75 ms to microseconds
- Begin with 0.75 milliseconds.
- Multiply 0.75 by 1000.
- You get 750 microseconds.
- 20 ms to microseconds
- Use 20 milliseconds.
- Multiply 20 by 1000.
- Result is 20000 microseconds.
- 0.001 ms to microseconds
- Start with 0.001 milliseconds.
- Multiply by 1000: 0.001 × 1000.
- Equals 1 microsecond.
Conversion Chart
| Milliseconds (ms) | Microseconds (µs) |
|---|---|
| -24.0 | -24000 |
| -20.0 | -20000 |
| -15.0 | -15000 |
| -10.0 | -10000 |
| -5.0 | -5000 |
| -1.0 | -1000 |
| 0.0 | 0 |
| 1.0 | 1000 |
| 5.0 | 5000 |
| 10.0 | 10000 |
| 15.0 | 15000 |
| 20.0 | 20000 |
| 26.0 | 26000 |
Each row shows a millisecond value and its equivalent microseconds. To use the chart, find the ms value you want, then read across to see the corresponding microseconds. Negative numbers mean time before a reference point, positive numbers after.
Related Conversion Questions
- How many microseconds are in 1 ms exactly?
- What’s the microsecond value when converting 1 ms?
- Is 1 ms the same as 1000 microseconds?
- How do I convert milliseconds to microseconds for 1 ms?
- Why does 1 ms equal 1000 microseconds?
- Can 1 ms be written as how many microseconds?
- What’s the formula to convert 1 ms into microseconds correctly?
Conversion Definitions
ms (millisecond): A millisecond is one thousandth of a second, or 0.001 seconds. It’s used to measure very short time intervals, common in computing, science, and engineering where precision timing is needed but not at the scale of microseconds.
microsecond (µs): A microsecond equals one millionth of a second, or 0.000001 seconds. It measures extremely brief durations, useful in electronics, physics, and high-speed data processing, representing times much smaller than milliseconds.
Conversion FAQs
Can I convert fractional milliseconds to microseconds?
Yes, fractional milliseconds convert by multiplying the decimal value by 1000. For example, 0.5 ms equals 500 microseconds. This allows precise conversion for values less than one millisecond.
Why multiply by 1000 instead of dividing when converting ms to µs?
Because 1 millisecond is larger than 1 microsecond. Since 1 ms = 1000 µs, you multiply to find how many smaller units fit in the larger one. Dividing would give incorrect smaller numbers.
Are negative milliseconds meaningful in conversion?
Negative milliseconds can represent time before a reference point, like timestamps before zero or events happening earlier in time. Conversion simply multiplies negative ms by 1000, preserving the negative sign.
Is there any difference between microsecond and microsecond notation?
They’re the same unit, but sometimes microsecond is written as µs, us, or microsecond. The symbol µs is the standard, but all represent one millionth of a second.
Does this conversion apply the same to other time units?
Each time unit has its own scale. For example, 1 second equals 1000 milliseconds, or 1,000,000 microseconds. Conversions depend on the relative sizes of units, so you multiply or divide accordingly.