Capacitance Converter
Enter any capacitance value, choose its unit, and this converter shows the equivalent in all five standard units at once: farads (F), millifarads (mF), microfarads (uF), nanofarads (nF), and picofarads (pF). It also shows the 3-digit capacitor marking code used on ceramic and film capacitors, plus a step-by-step breakdown of the conversion math.
What is capacitance and what is a farad?
Capacitance is the ability of a component to store electrical charge when a voltage is applied across it. The SI base unit of capacitance is the farad (F), defined as one coulomb of charge stored per volt of potential difference (C = Q / V). One farad is an enormous amount of capacitance for a practical component - most everyday capacitors measure in the micro-, nano-, or picofarad range. Supercapacitors are the main exception, reaching tens or even thousands of farads while remaining the size of a finger.
Capacitance unit prefixes and how to convert between them
Each unit is a power-of-1000 step from the next. One farad = 1,000 millifarads (mF) = 1,000,000 microfarads (uF) = 1,000,000,000 nanofarads (nF) = 1,000,000,000,000 picofarads (pF). To convert any value to farads, multiply by its multiplier: 1 uF x 1e-6 = 1e-6 F. To convert from farads to another unit, divide by that unit multiplier. For example, 0.000047 F divided by 1e-9 gives 47,000 nF, or equivalently 47 uF. This calculator does all that arithmetic automatically and shows results in all five units at once.
Reading the 3-digit capacitor code
Ceramic and film capacitors are too small to print a full value on their body, so manufacturers use a 3-digit code. The first two digits give the significant figures of the value in picofarads, and the third digit is the multiplier (the number of zeros to add). For example, the code 104 means 10 followed by four zeros = 100,000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 uF. The code 472 means 47 followed by two zeros = 4,700 pF = 4.7 nF. Codes 9 (not used as a multiplier) and values below about 10 pF use direct two-digit marking instead. This converter shows the code for any value that falls within the standard printable range.
Which capacitance unit should you use?
Convention in electronics design matches the unit to the component type. RF and high-frequency circuits use picofarads (pF) because values are tiny and fractional nanofarad notation would be unwieldy. General-purpose bypass and coupling capacitors are listed in nanofarads (nF) or microfarads (uF) on most datasheets. Large electrolytic capacitors for power supplies are described in microfarads (uF) or even millifarads (mF). Supercapacitors are measured in farads (F). Using the right unit avoids decimal errors when ordering components or entering values into simulation tools.
Common capacitance values and typical applications
| Capacitance | Picofarads (pF) | Typical application |
|---|---|---|
| 1 pF | 1 | Stray / parasitic capacitance on PCB traces |
| 10 pF | 10 | Crystal oscillator load, RF trimmer |
| 22 pF | 22 | Microcontroller crystal load (common value) |
| 100 pF | 100 | RF bypass, high-frequency decoupling |
| 1 nF | 1,000 | Signal coupling, ceramic bypass |
| 10 nF | 10,000 | Snubber circuits, timing RC networks |
| 100 nF | 100,000 | IC power supply decoupling (most common value) |
| 1 uF | 1,000,000 | Bulk decoupling, audio coupling |
| 10 uF | 10,000,000 | Power-supply filter, motor start |
| 100 uF | 100,000,000 | Large electrolytic, amplifier power stage |
| 1 F | 1e12 | Supercapacitor, backup power for SRAM |
| 10 F | 1e13 | Supercapacitor bank, short-term energy storage |
Approximate capacitance ranges used in everyday electronics. Actual values depend on circuit requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How many picofarads are in a microfarad?
One microfarad (1 uF) equals 1,000,000 picofarads (1,000,000 pF). The picofarad is one million times smaller than the microfarad, because the prefix "micro-" represents 1e-6 and "pico-" represents 1e-12, a ratio of 1e6.
How many nanofarads are in a microfarad?
One microfarad (1 uF) equals 1,000 nanofarads (1,000 nF). Equivalently, 1 nF = 0.001 uF. So a 470 nF capacitor is the same as a 0.47 uF capacitor, which is a common film capacitor value.
What does the 3-digit code on a ceramic capacitor mean?
The 3-digit code gives the capacitance in picofarads using a scientific-notation shorthand. The first two digits are the significant figures of the value, and the third digit is the number of zeros to append. For example, 104 = 10 followed by 4 zeros = 100,000 pF = 0.1 uF. The code 221 = 22 followed by 1 zero = 220 pF.
What is the difference between a farad and a millifarad?
A millifarad (mF) is one thousandth of a farad (0.001 F). Millifarad notation is less common in circuit schematics - the value 10 mF would more typically be written as 10,000 uF in datasheet tables. The millifarad prefix does appear in some European standards and in supercapacitor specifications.
Why is a one-farad capacitor so large in practice?
The farad is defined by the relationship C = Q / V. Storing one coulomb (the charge moved by one ampere in one second) per volt requires an enormous plate area or a very thin dielectric. That is why most passive capacitors measure in micro-, nano-, or picofarads. Only supercapacitors, which use activated-carbon electrodes with nanometer-scale double-layer dielectrics, reach the farad scale in a physically compact component.
How do I convert picofarads to nanofarads?
Divide the picofarad value by 1,000 to get nanofarads. For example, 4,700 pF divided by 1,000 = 4.7 nF. To go the other way, multiply nanofarads by 1,000: 100 nF x 1,000 = 100,000 pF.
Are capacitor tolerances important when converting units?
Unit conversion is exact - there is no rounding or approximation involved. However, real capacitors have a tolerance rating (commonly plus or minus 5%, 10%, or 20%) meaning the actual measured capacitance can differ from the marked value by that percentage. Always choose a capacitor whose marked value and tolerance cover the range your circuit needs, especially in timing and filter applications where capacitance accuracy matters.