Convert kilograms to pounds
1 kg = 2.20462 lb
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How many pounds are in a kilogram?
One kilogram is 2.20462262 pounds. To convert any amount, multiply by 2.20462262. Going the other way, one pound is 0.45359237 kilograms.
What is the formula to convert kg to lb?
Multiply the kilogram figure by 2.20462262. So lb = kg × 2.20462262. For a quick mental estimate, multiplying by about 2.2 gets you within a percent or so, which is close enough for most everyday purposes.
What does a kilogram actually look like?
One kilogram is a litre of water, near enough. The kilogram was redefined in 2019 in terms of the Planck constant, retiring the platinum-iridium cylinder in Paris that had defined it since 1889.
And what is a pound?
One pound is a block of butter, roughly. The international pound is exactly 0.45359237 kilograms. It is still the everyday body-weight and grocery unit in the United States.
Is this conversion exact?
Yes. Since the 1959 international yard and pound agreement, the imperial and metric systems are related by exact definitions rather than measurements — the inch is exactly 25.4 mm and the pound exactly 0.45359237 kg. Everything derived from those, including this conversion, is therefore exact. Round at the end rather than partway through, since rounding kg before converting introduces an error the conversion then multiplies.
About kg to lb
How to convert kilograms to pounds
Multiply by 2.20462262. One kilogram is 2.20462262 pounds, and one pound is 0.45359237 kilograms.
lb = kg × 2.20462262
Worked example
10 kg = 22.04623 lb. For a sense of scale, one kilogram is a litre of water, near enough, and one pound is a block of butter, roughly.
About the kilogram
The kilogram was redefined in 2019 in terms of the Planck constant, retiring the platinum-iridium cylinder in Paris that had defined it since 1889.
About the pound
The international pound is exactly 0.45359237 kilograms. It is still the everyday body-weight and grocery unit in the United States.
Quick reference
| kilograms | pounds |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | 2.20462 lb |
| 2 kg | 4.40925 lb |
| 5 kg | 11.0231 lb |
| 10 kg | 22.0462 lb |
| 25 kg | 55.1156 lb |
| 50 kg | 110.231 lb |
| 100 kg | 220.462 lb |
| 1000 kg | 2204.62 lb |
Getting it right
This conversion is exact by definition, so the only limit on accuracy is how many digits you keep. Round at the end rather than partway through — rounding kg to a whole number before converting introduces an error that the conversion then multiplies.
Other weight & mass conversions
Convert pounds back to kilograms, or pick any other pair with the full unit converter. Related: kg to g, kg to oz, kg to t.