Unix Timestamp Converter
Free online Unix Timestamp Converter. Simple, fast, and secure tool running in your browser.
What is the Unix Timestamp Converter?
The Unix Timestamp Converter is a free browser-based tool that converts between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates in both directions. Unix timestamps (also called Epoch time or POSIX time) represent the number of seconds or milliseconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC — a universal reference point used in virtually every programming language and database system.
This tool supports both standard (10-digit) and millisecond (13-digit) timestamps, provides output in UTC, ISO 8601, and local time formats, and includes a live clock showing the current Unix timestamp updating every second. Convert in either direction: timestamp to date or date to timestamp.
How to Convert Timestamps
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1
Choose Direction
Select "Timestamp → Date" to convert a Unix timestamp to a readable date, or "Date → Timestamp" to convert a date to Unix time.
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2
Enter Your Value
Enter a Unix timestamp (seconds or milliseconds) or select a date and time using the date picker. Use the "Now" button to fill in the current value.
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3
View and Copy Results
Results appear instantly in multiple formats (UTC, ISO 8601, local time, or seconds/milliseconds). Copy any result with one click.
Real-World Use Cases
API Debugging
API responses and JWT tokens often contain Unix timestamps for created_at, expires_at, and other date fields. Convert them to human-readable dates to verify correctness.
Database Queries
Many databases store dates as Unix timestamps. Convert a target date to a timestamp to use in SQL WHERE clauses or MongoDB queries.
Log Analysis
Server logs and system events frequently use epoch timestamps. Convert them to understand when specific events occurred in your timezone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC (the "Unix epoch"). For example, timestamp 1710255600 represents March 12, 2024. Millisecond timestamps use 13 digits instead of 10.
What is the difference between seconds and milliseconds timestamps?
Standard Unix timestamps have 10 digits and measure seconds since epoch. Millisecond timestamps have 13 digits and measure milliseconds. JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds, while most Unix systems use seconds.
What is ISO 8601 format?
ISO 8601 is an international standard for date and time representation (e.g., 2024-03-12T15:30:00.000Z). It is the most widely accepted format for data interchange between systems.
Does this tool handle negative timestamps?
Negative timestamps represent dates before January 1, 1970. While the tool can process them, very old dates may have platform-specific limitations depending on your browser's JavaScript engine.
Why does my local time differ from UTC?
UTC is the universal time standard with no timezone offset. Your local time includes your timezone offset (e.g., UTC+5:30 for IST). This tool shows both so you can use whichever is appropriate for your use case.