Contents
How the capacitance converter works
Enter capacitance in microfarads or nanofarads. The other field updates immediately, and the middle control reverses the direction without changing the electrical capacitance.
A difference of three SI-prefix steps
Micro means 10−6 and nano means 10−9 of a farad. Their exponents differ by three, so one microfarad contains exactly one thousand nanofarads.
Multiply µF by 1000 to get nF. Divide nF by 1000 for the reverse conversion.
Values found on common circuit documents
- 0.001 µF = 1 nF. Both markings describe the same capacitance.
- 0.1 µF = 100 nF. This is a familiar decoupling-capacitor value.
- 4.7 µF = 4,700 nF. The larger number comes from using the smaller unit.
- 2,200 nF = 2.2 µF. Divide by 1000 when reading the conversion backwards.
What the converted number does not tell you
Conversion changes only the unit. It does not determine a capacitor's voltage rating, tolerance, dielectric, polarity, temperature behaviour or package. Check those properties before replacing a component.
The factor is exact, but it cannot improve the precision of a rounded measurement or a component value with a tolerance. Keep the source unit next to the converted value when copying data into a schematic or bill of materials.
Questions about µF and nF
These answers cover the conversion factor, notation and the limits of comparing capacitor values.
How many nanofarads are in one microfarad?
Exactly 1000 nanofarads.
How do I convert microfarads to nanofarads?
Multiply the number of microfarads by 1000.
How do I convert nanofarads to microfarads?
Divide the number of nanofarads by 1000.
Are µF and uF the same unit?
uF is a common plain-text substitute for µF. Both usually mean microfarads, but the SI symbol uses µ.
Can equal capacitance values guarantee interchangeable capacitors?
No. Voltage rating, tolerance, dielectric, polarity and package must also suit the circuit.
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