β° Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates.
Current Unix Timestamp
How to Use This Converter
This converter works in two directions: paste a Unix timestamp to see the human-readable date and time, or pick a date and time to get the corresponding Unix timestamp in both seconds and milliseconds. Both tabs update in real time as you type.
Use the "Timestamp to Date" tab to decode a number. Paste or type the timestamp and the date appears instantly.
Use the "Date to Timestamp" tab to go the other way. Select a date and time to get the timestamp.
Check whether your timestamp is in seconds (10 digits, e.g., 1700000000) or milliseconds (13 digits, e.g., 1700000000000). JavaScript uses milliseconds; most server-side languages use seconds.
All conversions use your local time zone by default. The UTC equivalent is shown alongside so you can confirm the result.
What Is a Unix Timestamp?
A Unix timestamp counts the number of seconds (or milliseconds) that have passed since January 1, 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC. This date is called the Unix epoch. The count never resets and keeps increasing, which makes timestamps perfect for sorting events, calculating durations, and storing dates in databases. A timestamp like 1700000000 converts to November 14, 2023 at 22:13:20 UTC.
Timestamps are timezone-neutral: a given Unix timestamp represents the exact same instant everywhere on Earth, regardless of local time. When you store a timestamp in a database, you avoid the issues that come with storing "2024-01-15 09:00:00" without knowing the timezone. Converting back to a local time for display is a separate step handled by the application using the viewer's timezone. This is why timestamps are the standard in backend systems, APIs, and log files.
Timestamp Reference Points
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds elapsed since the Unix Epoch: January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC. It is the most universal way to represent a point in time.
What is the difference between seconds and milliseconds timestamp?
Unix timestamps are traditionally in seconds. JavaScript's Date.now() and many APIs return milliseconds (multiply seconds Γ 1000). Our tool detects which you are using.
What is the Year 2038 problem?
Systems using 32-bit signed integers to store timestamps will overflow on January 19, 2038 at 03:14:07 UTC. Modern systems use 64-bit integers and are not affected.
What is epoch time?
Epoch time and Unix timestamp mean the same thing β time measured in seconds from January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC. The term "epoch" refers to the starting reference point.
How do I get the current timestamp in code?
Python: import time; time.time(). JavaScript: Date.now()/1000. PHP: time(). Shell: date +%s. All return seconds since Unix epoch.