Milliwatts to Microwatts Converter
Enter the power in milliwatts below to convert it to microwatts.
Convert Milliwatts to Microwatts
Enter a value in milliwatts (mW) to convert to microwatts (µW).
Milliwatt to Microwatt Conversion Table
Table showing various milliwatt measurements converted to microwatts. Click any preset value or arrow to load it into the converter.
How to Convert Milliwatts to Microwatts
To convert milliwatts to microwatts, multiply the power by the following conversion ratio: 1,000 microwatts/milliwatt.
Since one milliwatt is equal to 1,000 microwatts, you can use this simple formula to convert:
The power in microwatts is equal to the power in milliwatts multiplied by 1,000.
For example, here's how to convert 5 milliwatts to microwatts using the formula above.
How Many Microwatts Are in a Milliwatt?
There are 1,000 microwatts in a milliwatt, which is why we use this value in the formula above.
Our milliwatt to microwatt calculator automatically converts your power measurements with full decimal and scientific precision across US customary, imperial, and SI metric standards.
Milliwatts and microwatts are both units used to measure power. Keep reading to learn more about each unit.
What Is a Milliwatt?
A milliwatt is a unit of power equal to 1/1,000 of a watt (0.001 W). One-thousandth of a Watt. [1]
The milliwatt is classified as a metric and SI-compatible unit of power. Milliwatts can be abbreviated as mW; for example, 1 milliwatt can be written as 1 mW.
In the metric system, "milli" is the standard SI prefix for thousandths, or 10⁻³. This makes the milliwatt (mW) a convenient decimal multiple of the watt (W).
In practice, milliwatts (mW) are widely used across fine-tolerance laboratory, analytical, and micro-scale power measurements within SI metric workflows, engineering documentation, and technical data sheets.
What Is a Microwatt?
A microwatt is a unit of power equal to 1/1,000,000 of a watt (0.000001 W). One-millionth of a Watt. [2]
The microwatt is classified as a metric and SI-compatible unit of power. Microwatts can be abbreviated as µW; for example, 1 microwatt can be written as 1 µW.
In the metric system, "micro" is the standard SI prefix for millionths, or 10⁻⁶. This makes the microwatt (µW) a convenient decimal multiple of the watt (W).
In practice, microwatts (µW) are widely used across fine-tolerance laboratory, analytical, and micro-scale power measurements within SI metric workflows, engineering documentation, and technical data sheets.
When converting power between milliwatts (mW) and microwatts (µW), keep full floating-point precision (1 mW = 1,000 µW; 1 µW = 0.001 mW) during intermediate calculations and round only the final microwatt figure to match your instrument tolerance.
More Milliwatt & Microwatt Conversions
Need to calculate in the opposite direction? Use our microwatts to milliwatts calculator to switch your starting unit immediately. You can also explore related tools such as converting microwatts to milliwatts, converting watts to horsepower (hp), or converting horsepower (hp) to watts.
Convert from Milliwatts
Frequently Asked Questions
References
- [1]NIST SP 811 StandardNIST SP 811 (NIST SP 811 App. B.9 (Power & Radiant Flux))·Power Metrology Standard — Milliwatts (mW) to Microwatts (µW)
- [2]NIST CUU SpecificationNIST CUU (Derived SI Unit: Watt (W))·Unit Specifications: Milliwatt (mW) & Microwatt (µW)
- [3]BIPM ReferenceBIPM (SI Brochure (9th Ed.) — Power)·Conversion Factors & Mathematical Basis (mW to µW)