Convert bar to psi

1 bar = 14.5038 psi: the formula

To convert bar to psi, multiply by 14.5038: psi = bar × 14.5038. One bar is 100,000 pascals and one psi, a pound-force per square inch, is 6,894.757 pascals. Example: a European car manual asking for 2.5 bar means 2.5 × 14.5038 = 36.26 psi.

The converter above opens on 2.5 bar to psi and updates as you type. The "Formula:" line gives the full factor, the "In every unit" table shows the same pressure in kPa, atmospheres and mmHg, and the ⇄ "Swap units" button turns it into psi to bar.

Bar to psi conversion chart

Where bar and psi meet

Imported cars and European manuals

In the US, the tire placard on the driver's door jamb lists pressure in psi, usually around 32 to 35. A car bought in Europe, or a manual printed there, may give bar only. Convert, round to the nearest psi, and check the tires cold, before driving: a warm tire reads a few psi higher.

Bike tires and pumps

Tire sidewalls often print both units, such as "4.5-6 bar / 65-85 psi". A road tire at 7 bar is at 101.5 psi; a mountain bike tire at 1.6 bar sits at just 23.2 psi.

Espresso and diving

Coffee machines are sold on their "15 bar" pump, which is 217.6 psi, while extraction itself runs near 9 bar, 130.5 psi. European scuba tanks are filled to 200 or 232 bar; an American aluminum 80 is rated 3,000 psi, which is 206.8 bar.

Mental math

Multiply by 14.5. For a faster route, multiply by 15 and take off one thirtieth: 2.2 × 15 = 33, minus 1.1, gives 31.9 psi.

Frequently asked questions

Are tire pressures in bar and psi absolute?

No. A tire gauge reads gauge pressure, the difference from the air around it: a flat tire shows 0 even though it still holds air at atmospheric pressure. Engineers write psig for gauge and psia for absolute. The conversion is the same either way: 2.5 bar gauge is 36.26 psig.

How many psi is 2 bar?

29.01 psi. And 3 bar is 43.51 psi.

Is a bar the same as an atmosphere?

Close, but not equal. A standard atmosphere is 1.01325 bar, or 14.696 psi, 1.3% more than one bar.