Timestamp Converter

Convert Unix timestamps to human-readable dates and vice versa. Supports seconds and milliseconds.

Timestamp to Date

Date to Timestamp

About the Timestamp Converter

Unix timestamps (also called Epoch time) represent the number of seconds or milliseconds since January 1, 1970. They are widely used in databases, APIs, and logging systems for storing date/time information in a compact, timezone-independent format. Our converter works bidirectionally — convert timestamps to readable dates and vice versa — supporting both second and millisecond precision.

What Is Timestamp Converter?

A Unix timestamp counts the number of seconds that have elapsed since the Unix epoch: 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970, excluding leap seconds. Because it is a single integer expressed in UTC, it is unambiguous, locale-independent, and trivially sortable — properties that make it ideal for databases, logs, file metadata, and API payloads. JavaScript and many modern systems use milliseconds (13 digits today) rather than seconds (10 digits), which is a common source of bugs. Timestamps do not carry timezone information; a timezone is only applied when the integer is formatted into a human-readable string for display. Note that 32-bit Unix systems that store the timestamp as a signed 32-bit integer will overflow on 19 January 2038 (the 'Year 2038 problem'), which is why most systems have migrated to 64-bit storage.

How to Use

  1. Enter a Unix timestamp (seconds or milliseconds) in the input field above.
  2. Select whether your timestamp is in seconds or milliseconds.
  3. Click 'Convert to Date' to see the human-readable date in multiple formats (UTC, ISO, local time).
  4. Or use the date picker to select a date and generate its Unix timestamp.
  5. Copy either the timestamp or the formatted date as needed.

Common Use Cases

  • Decoding timestamps found in API responses, logs, or database records
  • Generating the current Unix timestamp for use in a token or cache-buster
  • Debugging timezone-related bugs by comparing UTC and local representations
  • Setting expiry values for cookies, JWTs, or scheduled jobs
  • Converting date pickers into timestamps when building forms and reports

Examples

Input
1700000000 (seconds)
Output
2023-11-14 22:13:20 UTC

Same instant everywhere; local time depends on your timezone.

Tips & Best Practices

  • Most JavaScript timestamps use milliseconds (13 digits). Most Unix systems use seconds (10 digits).
  • ISO 8601 format (e.g., 2026-06-15T12:34:56Z) is the most portable for cross-system use.
  • Unix timestamps ignore timezones entirely — they represent the same moment everywhere.
  • This tool helps debug API responses, database records, and log file entries.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I tell seconds from milliseconds?

Count the digits. Current second timestamps are 10 digits (about 1.7 billion); millisecond timestamps are 13 digits (about 1.7 trillion). If you convert a millisecond value as seconds, the resulting date will be tens of thousands of years in the future — a clear sign of a unit mismatch.

What timezone does the converted date use?

The tool shows UTC, ISO 8601 (which is also UTC when it ends in 'Z'), and your browser's local time. The underlying timestamp itself has no timezone; it always represents the same instant worldwide.

Do Unix timestamps account for leap seconds?

No. Unix time ignores leap seconds — every day is treated as exactly 86,400 seconds. This keeps arithmetic simple at the cost of a tiny drift from true astronomical time, which is handled separately by systems that need it.

What is the Year 2038 problem?

Systems that store the timestamp as a signed 32-bit integer run out of capacity on 19 January 2038, when the value wraps to a negative number and is interpreted as a date in 1901. Migrating to 64-bit storage, which virtually all modern platforms do, eliminates the issue.

This timestamp converter runs entirely in your browser. No data is uploaded to any server. Your privacy is completely protected.

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