How many pounds are in a kilogram?

1 kilogram = 2.204622622 pounds. In the other direction, 1 pound = 0.45359237 kilograms.

The kilogram is the SI base unit of mass. Since 2019 it has been defined by fixing the Planck constant, replacing the platinum-iridium cylinder held near Paris that had served as the standard since 1889.

The international avoirdupois pound is defined as exactly 0.45359237 kilograms, agreed by the United States, United Kingdom and four other Commonwealth nations in 1959. Every imperial mass unit derives from it.

Why not just multiply by 2.2?

2.2 is accurate to about 0.2%, which is fine for body weight, but 2.20462 is better for totals above a few hundred kilograms.

Unit-To-Unit Weight conversion

Kilograms to Pounds

1 kilogram = 2.204622622 pounds

Going metric to imperial, the multiplier is 2.20462262185 — the reciprocal of the treaty-defined pound. The common shortcut of doubling and adding ten percent is accurate to about 0.2 percent, which is fine for luggage and wrong for anything billed by weight.

Formula lb = kg × 2.204622621849

Kilogram (kg) max 24 digits

Pound (lb) max 24 digits

Type in either field — the other updates on every keystroke. Need other units? Open the full weight converter.

Kilograms to Pounds — quick reference
Kilogram	Pound
1 kg	2.204623 lb
2 kg	4.409245 lb
3 kg	6.613868 lb
4 kg	8.81849 lb
5 kg	11.023113 lb
10 kg	22.046226 lb
15 kg	33.069339 lb
20 kg	44.092452 lb
25 kg	55.115566 lb
50 kg	110.231131 lb
100 kg	220.462262 lb
500 kg	1102.311311 lb
1000 kg	2204.622622 lb

Pounds to Kilograms — reverse
Pound	Kilogram
1 lb	0.453592 kg
2 lb	0.907185 kg
3 lb	1.360777 kg
4 lb	1.814369 kg
5 lb	2.267962 kg
10 lb	4.535924 kg
15 lb	6.803886 kg
20 lb	9.071847 kg
25 lb	11.339809 kg
50 lb	22.679619 kg
100 lb	45.359237 kg
500 lb	226.796185 kg
1000 lb	453.59237 kg

Worked examples

Common values
Situation	From	To
Newborn baby	3.5 kg	7.72 lb
Economy checked bag	23 kg	50.71 lb
Bag of cement	25 kg	55.12 lb
Heavy-bag limit	32 kg	70.55 lb
Adult body weight	70 kg	154.32 lb

Mental-math shortcut

Double the kilograms and add 10% of the result. For 70 kg: 140 plus 14 is 154 lb, against an exact 154.32 lb.

Where this conversion comes up

Body weight in most countries is quoted in kilograms, so travellers and gym-goers convert to pounds constantly. A 23 kg checked bag is 50.7 lb, a 32 kg heavy-bag limit is 70.5 lb, and a 20 kg barbell plate set is 44.1 lb. Baby and pet weights on foreign charts need the same conversion.

Common mistakes

Using 2.2 is fine for body weight but drifts on large totals: 1,000 kg is 2,204.6 lb, not 2,200. Do not confuse mass in pounds with pounds-force.

Background

The metric system defined the kilogram in the 1790s from the mass of a litre of water, and a platinum-iridium cylinder took over in 1889. Since 2019 it is defined by the Planck constant, so it no longer depends on a physical object.

Learn more

Frequently asked

How many pounds are in a kilogram?: 1 kilogram = 2.204622622 pounds. In the other direction, 1 pound = 0.45359237 kilograms.
What is a kilogram?: The kilogram is the SI base unit of mass. Since 2019 it has been defined by fixing the Planck constant, replacing the platinum-iridium cylinder held near Paris that had served as the standard since 1889.
What is a pound?: The international avoirdupois pound is defined as exactly 0.45359237 kilograms, agreed by the United States, United Kingdom and four other Commonwealth nations in 1959. Every imperial mass unit derives from it.
Why not just multiply by 2.2?: 2.2 is accurate to about 0.2%, which is fine for body weight, but 2.20462 is better for totals above a few hundred kilograms.

Related weight conversions

Pounds to Kilograms Ounces to Grams Grams to Ounces Stones to Pounds Kilograms to Stones Pounds to Ounces Grams to Kilograms