Force converter — newtons, kilogram-force and pound-force

Bolt tensions, spring ratings, load cells and structural loads — force units that mix newtons with the older weight-based ones, where "kg" on a datasheet really means kgf.

How to use it

1
Type into any row — say N or kgf. The results appear immediately, no button needed.
2
Need a combined figure? Fill in two rows, for example N and lbf, and they are added together before converting.
3
Set how many digits you want (4–12) and click a result to copy the plain number.

Exact conversion factors

These are the definitions the calculator uses. Nothing here is rounded for convenience — where a value is exact by definition, it says so.

1 kgf = 9.80665 N exactly (standard gravity)
1 lbf = 4.4482216152605 N · 1 N = 0.224808943 lbf
1 ozf = 0.278013851 N · 1 dyn = 10⁻⁵ N
1 kN = 101.971621 kgf = 224.808943 lbf

FormulaN = kgf × 9.80665 · N = lbf × 4.4482216153 · lbf = N × 0.224808943 · dyn = N × 100 000

Force conversion table — every unit

One of each unit, converted into the three units people ask for most.

Unit	N	kgf	lbf
1 MN	1 000 000 N	101 972 kgf	224 809 lbf
1 kN	1 000 N	101.972 kgf	224.809 lbf
1 N	1 N	0.101972 kgf	0.224809 lbf
1 kgf	9.80665 N	1 kgf	2.20462 lbf
1 gf	0.00980665 N	0.001 kgf	0.00220462 lbf
1 lbf	4.44822 N	0.453592 kgf	1 lbf
1 ozf	0.278014 N	0.0283495 kgf	0.0625 lbf
1 dyn	0.00001 N	0.00000101972 kgf	0.00000224809 lbf

N → kgf, lbf — quick values

N	kgf	lbf
0.5 N	0.0509858 kgf	0.112404 lbf
1 N	0.101972 kgf	0.224809 lbf
2 N	0.203943 kgf	0.449618 lbf
3 N	0.305915 kgf	0.674427 lbf
5 N	0.509858 kgf	1.12404 lbf
10 N	1.01972 kgf	2.24809 lbf
20 N	2.03943 kgf	4.49618 lbf
25 N	2.54929 kgf	5.62022 lbf
50 N	5.09858 kgf	11.2404 lbf
100 N	10.1972 kgf	22.4809 lbf
250 N	25.4929 kgf	56.2022 lbf
1 000 N	101.972 kgf	224.809 lbf

How this converter works

Kilogram-force is where mass and force blur together. One kgf is the weight of one kilogram in standard gravity: 9.80665 N. Spec sheets that give a load "in kg" almost always mean kgf, and this page makes the conversion explicit instead of implied.

Pound-force works the same way at 4.4482 N, and ounce-force at 0.278 N shows up in small mechanisms and switch actuation ratings. The dyne is the CGS unit, one hundred-thousandth of a newton, kept for older physics texts.

Notes and abbreviations

1 kgf = 9.80665 N — the weight of 1 kg at standard gravity
1 lbf = 4.4482 N; 1 N ≈ 0.2248 lbf
1 dyn = 10⁻⁵ N — CGS unit, still seen in older literature

Questions

Is kg a unit of force?

Strictly no — kg is mass. When a datasheet lists a load in kg it means kgf, and 1 kgf is 9.80665 N.

How many newtons is 100 lbf?

444.822 N, or 45.359 kgf.

What about torque in N·m?

That is a different quantity — force times distance. Use the torque converter for it.