Live Converter
Convert Power Online
Enter your value above to convert milliwatts to watts or vice versa.
Real-World Examples
The Uses of Milliwatts to Watts Conversion
The milliwatt is the standard unit for rating lasers, RF radios, and optical signals, so this conversion is most useful when fitting those components into an overall watt-based power budget.
Rating Laser Pointer and Laser Diode Output
Electronics designers who sum a device's overall power budget in watts convert a laser diode's output rating, typically a fraction of a watt, into milliwatts to match standard laser safety classifications.
Checking Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Radio Transmit Power
RF engineers who budget a device's total power draw in watts convert an individual Bluetooth or Wi-Fi radio's transmit power rating into milliwatts to match FCC and industry labeling standards.
Comparing Fiber-Optic Signal Strength Across a Network
Telecom technicians who measure a fiber-optic link's overall power budget in watts convert the signal strength at specific network points into milliwatts, the standard unit for optical signal measurement.
Quick Reference
Comprehensive Conversion Table
Our quick table gives you instant results, so you don't have to calculate these common values manually.
| Conversion | Formula | Result (W) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 mW to W | 100 × 0.001 | 0.10 W |
| 500 mW to W | 500 × 0.001 | 0.50 W |
| 1,000 mW to W | 1,000 × 0.001 | 1.00 W |
| 2,000 mW to W | 2,000 × 0.001 | 2.00 W |
| 5,000 mW to W | 5,000 × 0.001 | 5.00 W |
| 10,000 mW to W | 10,000 × 0.001 | 10.00 W |
| 50,000 mW to W | 50,000 × 0.001 | 50.00 W |
| 100,000 mW to W | 100,000 × 0.001 | 100.00 W |
| 500,000 mW to W | 500,000 × 0.001 | 500.00 W |
Got Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
How many watts are in 1 milliwatt?
1 milliwatt equals 0.001 watts, a figure useful for anyone working at the laser pointer, Bluetooth and RF signal power ratings scale.
How many milliwatts are in 1 watt?
1 watt equals approximately 1,000 milliwatts, which puts the size of a single watt into perspective against the milliwatt.
Why would anyone convert milliwatts to watts?
This comes up whenever a laser, RF radio, or fiber-optic signal rated in milliwatts needs to be folded into an overall device power budget, which is typically tracked in watts.
Is a milliwatt a large or small fraction of a watt?
A small fraction. 1 milliwatt equals exactly 0.001 watts, since the milliwatt is one-thousandth of a watt by definition.