Calculator
What the Capacitance Converter does
Capacitance Converter: 1 µF = 1000 nF, so multiply a microfarad value by 1000 to get nanofarad, or divide to go back. Example: 1 µF = 1000 nF.
The inputs are Value, From and To; the output is Result, How it was calculated and Reverse conversion. Change any input and the output follows immediately.
Unit mistakes are quietly expensive. They have wrecked spacecraft and ruined recipes alike. That is usually what brings students converting units for homework here.
The work is done by JavaScript already loaded in your browser, so your input never crosses the network.
The field reference, the method and a worked example using the default inputs follow the tool itself.
What do the Capacitance Converter fields mean?
The Capacitance Converter uses 3 inputs. Because the form arrives filled, the first useful result costs you zero typing.
| Field | What to enter | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Value | required | 1 |
| From | choose from Picofarad (pF), Nanofarad (nF), Microfarad (µF), Millifarad (mF) or Farad (F) | Microfarad (µF) |
| To | choose from Picofarad (pF), Nanofarad (nF), Microfarad (µF), Millifarad (mF) or Farad (F) | Nanofarad (nF) |
How does the Capacitance Converter work?
Both units are converted through capacitance's base unit (F), so any of the 5 units in the dropdowns can be paired in either direction without loss of accuracy.
Where a unit has an exact legal definition, that exact value is used rather than a rounded one. The 1959 international agreement fixing the inch at 25.4 mm is the best-known example; the same principle applies throughout.
Worked example
These are the values the Capacitance Converter loads by default, and the result it produces from them. Open the tool above and you will find precisely these figures already in place.
| Value | 1 |
|---|---|
| From | Microfarad (µF) |
| To | Nanofarad (nF) |
| Result | 1000 nF |
|---|---|
| How it was calculated | 1 µF = 1000 nF, so 1 × 1000 = 1000 nF |
| Reverse conversion | 0.001 µF (if you meant 1 nF) |
Capacitance
The farad (F), the SI unit of electrical capacitance, is an enormous unit for practical purposes. Real-world capacitors are almost always specified in microfarads, nanofarads or picofarads, since a full 1-farad component would be unusually large for most electronics.
Worth knowing
- Modern "supercapacitors" can actually reach capacitances of several farads or more, but ordinary electrolytic and ceramic capacitors found in everyday electronics are typically measured in the microfarad (µF) or even picofarad (pF) range.
- Capacitance describes a component’s ability to store electric charge temporarily: functionally different from a battery, which stores energy chemically for much longer, which is why capacitors and batteries serve different roles even though both "store" electricity in a loose sense.
- Capacitor markings on circuit boards commonly use a numeric code (like "104" meaning 100,000 picofarads, or 0.1 microfarads) rather than writing the full unit out, since the components themselves are often too small to print a full value on legibly.
Definitions: BIPM SI Brochure · NIST reference on units
How to use it
- Key in Value.
- Pick a value for From: the options are Picofarad (pF), Nanofarad (nF), Microfarad (µF), Millifarad (mF) or Farad (F).
- Pick a value for To: the options are Picofarad (pF), Nanofarad (nF), Microfarad (µF), Millifarad (mF) or Farad (F).
- It runs on every change, so there is no moment where the screen is out of date.
- Read Result, How it was calculated and Reverse conversion in the results panel.
- Use Copy Link if you want the same setup again later, or Print for a paper copy.
What this tool does not do
- Factors use the internationally agreed definitions; some industries round them differently.
- Repeated conversions compound rounding, so convert once from the original value where you can.
- It will not warn you that a different tool would suit your question better.
- A plausible-looking answer from the wrong input is still the wrong answer: verify the fields first.
Frequently asked questions
Value, From and To, nothing else. Each field is pre-filled with a sensible default, so you can change one value at a time and watch how the result responds.
With the values loaded when the page opens, result comes out as 1000 nF. Nudge one field at a time to see which one the answer is most sensitive to.
It is not stored or transmitted. The calculation happens locally and leaves no trace with us.
Free for any use, personal or commercial.
The formula is shown above precisely so you do not have to take the accuracy on trust.