How many ounces in a pound?

16 ounces in a pound

The U.S. pound for everyday weights — food, people, parcels — is the avoirdupois pound, defined as exactly 16 avoirdupois ounces and 0.45359237 kilogram. To convert:

ounces = pounds × 16, and pounds = ounces ÷ 16

The converter above starts at 1 lb. Type pounds and ounces separately, or a decimal, and the ounces, grams and kilograms follow. The full converters are pounds to ounces and ounces to pounds.

Decimal pounds in ounces

Store and shipping scales show tenths and hundredths of a pound, and the decimal is not the number of ounces:

So a package of 1.3 lb is 20.8 oz, or 1 lb 4.8 oz — not 1 lb 3 oz.

Reading pounds and ounces on labels

Food labels in the U.S. give the net weight in both units, such as “NET WT 1 LB 8 OZ (680 g)”. To compare packages, turn everything into ounces: 1 lb 8 oz is 16 + 8 = 24 oz. Unit prices on shelf tags are often per pound, so a 12 oz bag at $3 costs $4 a pound (12 oz is three quarters of a pound). Birth weights work the same way: 7 lb 5 oz is 117 oz.

To go from ounces back to pounds and ounces, divide by 16 and keep the remainder: 50 oz ÷ 16 = 3 remainder 2, so 3 lb 2 oz.

Ounces of weight and fluid ounces

A fluid ounce measures volume and an ounce measures weight. They match only for water, and only roughly: 16 fluid ounces of water (a U.S. pint) weigh about 16.7 ounces, or 1.04 pounds. A cup of flour is 8 fluid ounces but weighs about 4.25 ounces. For recipes with liquids, use ounces to cups; for weights, the converters on this page.

Troy ounces for gold and silver

Precious metals use the troy system: a troy ounce is 31.1035 grams, heavier than the everyday ounce of 28.3495 grams, and a troy pound has only 12 troy ounces. An ordinary pound therefore holds 14.58 troy ounces. When a price is quoted “per ounce” for gold, it means the troy ounce. For metric weights, see ounces to grams.