For an ordinary file, get its size in bytes with os.path.getsize(path) or Path(path).stat().st_size. To display the result in KB or MB, divide the byte count by 1,000 or 1,024 as appropriate—and label the unit convention so the value is clear.
Get a file size in bytes
os.path.getsize() is the direct option when you need only the byte count:
import os
size_bytes = os.path.getsize("report.pdf")
print(size_bytes)
The function returns the size in bytes. It accepts path-like objects in Python 3.6 and later, and raises OSError if the path does not exist or cannot be accessed. See the Python 3.14 os.path documentation.
Use pathlib to get the size
If your code already uses pathlib, read the st_size attribute from the file’s stat result:
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from pathlib import Path
size_bytes = Path("report.pdf").stat().st_size
print(size_bytes)
For an ordinary file, st_size is its size in bytes. Path.stat() provides other file-status information as well; consult the Python pathlib documentation.
Convert bytes to KB or MB
Python’s size functions return bytes; converting that number for display is arithmetic, not a separate API. Choose the divisor based on the unit convention you want:
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| Display unit | Calculation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| KB | size_bytes / 1_000 |
Decimal kilobytes |
| MB | size_bytes / 1_000_000 |
Decimal megabytes |
| KiB | size_bytes / 1_024 |
Binary kibibytes |
| MiB | size_bytes / (1_024 ** 2) |
Binary mebibytes |
When technical precision matters, use KiB and MiB for binary values rather than calling them KB and MB. Some interfaces use KB and MB for binary quantities; if you are matching one, state that convention.
For example, to display a file size in binary mebibytes to two decimal places:
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from pathlib import Path
size_bytes = Path("report.pdf").stat().st_size
size_mib = size_bytes / (1024 * 1024)
print(f"{size_mib:.2f} MiB")
Choose between os.path.getsize() and Path.stat().st_size
- Use
os.path.getsize(path)for a direct call that returns just the size, especially if the rest of the code usesos.path. - Use
Path(path).stat().st_sizewhen working withpathlibor when you may also need the broader stat result.
Both are standard-library choices; the appropriate one is usually the style that fits the surrounding code.
Handle missing or inaccessible paths
When a path may be invalid or inaccessible, catch OSError and handle the failure explicitly. Do not treat a failed lookup as a file of zero bytes:
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from pathlib import Path
try:
size_bytes = Path("report.pdf").stat().st_size
except OSError as exc:
print(f"Could not read file size: {exc}")
else:
print(f"{size_bytes} bytes")
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By default, Path.stat() follows a symbolic link and reports the target’s status. To inspect the link object itself, use Path.lstat().st_size. Python 3.10 added the follow_symlinks option to Path.stat(); setting it to False also inspects the link itself. The pathlib documentation describes these options.
A symbolic link’s own st_size is the length of its stored pathname, without a terminating null byte. The os.stat documentation also explains link-following behavior. For FIFOs and sockets on many Unix systems, st_size can instead represent bytes waiting to be read; meanings for other special files vary by implementation. See the Python stat documentation. The examples above are intended for ordinary files.
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A file-status lookup reports information at the time of the call. It does not lock a file, so if another process changes the file, the reported size can become stale immediately.
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