Conversion factor
1 kg = 2.20462 lb
and 1 lb = 0.453592 kg
The formula
pounds = kilograms × 2.20462
Worked example. To convert 5 kg, multiply by 2.20462: 5 × 2.20462 = 11.0231 lb.
Kilograms to Pounds conversion table
| kilograms (kg) | pounds (lb) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2.20462 |
| 5 | 11.0231 |
| 10 | 22.0462 |
| 20 | 44.0925 |
| 50 | 110.231 |
| 60 | 132.277 |
| 70 | 154.324 |
| 80 | 176.37 |
| 100 | 220.462 |
About kilograms and pounds
The international avoirdupois pound has been defined as exactly 0.45359237 kilograms since the 1959 agreement between the United States, United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations. That makes one kilogram 2.2046226 pounds. Before 1959 the US and imperial pounds differed very slightly, which caused real problems in trade and engineering.
The kilogram is the SI base unit of mass. Until 2019 it was defined by a physical cylinder held near Paris, the last SI unit to depend on an artefact. It is now defined through the Planck constant, so like the metre it can be realised anywhere rather than compared against a single object.
Britain adds a third unit for body weight: the stone, equal to 14 pounds or about 6.35 kilograms. So 70 kg is 154.3 lb, which a UK speaker would give as 11 stone 0.3 pounds. The fitness converter handles stone directly alongside BMI.
Need other units?
The full unit converter handles every unit in this family.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How many pounds are in a kilogram?
- One kilogram is 2.2046226 pounds, normally rounded to 2.20462. The pound is defined as exactly 0.45359237 kg, so the relationship is exact.
- What is 70 kg in pounds and stone?
- 70 kg is 154.32 pounds. In stone that is 11 stone 0.3 pounds, since a stone is 14 pounds.
- How can I convert kg to lbs quickly in my head?
- Double the kilograms and add ten percent. For 70 kg: 140 plus 14 gives 154 pounds, against a true 154.3. The trick works because 2.2 is close to 2 plus ten percent of 2.
- Are pounds a measure of mass or weight?
- In everyday use the pound measures mass, and this converter treats it that way. Strictly, weight is a force and would be measured in pound-force or newtons, but outside physics the distinction is rarely made.
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