Timestamp Converter
Convert Unix timestamps to readable dates and back, with timezone support.
Current Unix Timestamp
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Milliseconds
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Unix Timestamp → Date
Date → Unix Timestamp
Useful Timestamps
How to Use the Timestamp Converter
- The live counter at the top shows the current Unix time, updated every second.
- Enter a Unix timestamp in the first section and choose a timezone, then click Convert to see the full date in multiple formats.
- Use the Date → Timestamp section to convert a specific date and time to a Unix timestamp.
- Click any Useful Timestamps button to load a pre-set time value instantly.
What is a Unix Timestamp?
A Unix timestamp (also called epoch time or POSIX time) is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC — known as the Unix epoch. It is a simple, timezone-independent way to represent any point in time as a single integer. For example, the timestamp 1700000000 represents November 14, 2023 at 22:13:20 UTC.
Unix timestamps are universally supported across all programming languages and operating systems, making them the standard for storing and transmitting time in software systems.
Common Use Cases
- API debugging: Decode timestamps from API responses and log files to understand when events occurred
- Log analysis: Server logs typically store time as Unix timestamps — convert them to readable dates for analysis
- Database queries: Write date range queries by converting human-readable dates to timestamps
- JavaScript Date objects:
new Date(timestamp * 1000)creates a Date from a Unix timestamp - Cron scheduling: Calculate when a job will next run by converting cron expressions to timestamps
FAQ
What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC (the Unix epoch). It is timezone-independent — the same integer represents the same moment in time everywhere in the world. Local timezone conversion happens when displaying the timestamp as a human-readable date.
What is the Year 2038 problem?
Many older systems store Unix timestamps as a 32-bit signed integer, which can hold a maximum value of 2,147,483,647 — representing January 19, 2038 at 03:14:07 UTC. After this point, the value overflows to a negative number, causing date calculation errors. Modern 64-bit systems can store timestamps far beyond year 292 billion, so this is mostly a legacy concern.
How do I get the current timestamp in JavaScript and Python?
In JavaScript: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) gives seconds, or Date.now() for milliseconds. In Python: import time; time.time() gives seconds as a float, or int(time.time()) for an integer. In Python 3.3+: time.time_ns() gives nanoseconds.
What is the difference between second and millisecond timestamps?
A Unix timestamp in seconds is a 10-digit number (e.g. 1700000000). In milliseconds it is 13 digits (e.g. 1700000000000). JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds. Most Unix/Linux tools and APIs use seconds. When in doubt, check the number of digits — 10 digits means seconds, 13 digits means milliseconds.
What is the difference between UTC and local time?
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the global time standard with no timezone offset — it is the same everywhere. Local time is UTC adjusted for your timezone offset and daylight saving rules. Unix timestamps are always stored in UTC; the timezone conversion only applies when displaying them as a human-readable date.