Dev Tools/Timestamp Converter
Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates
Current Time
Unix Timestamp (s)
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Unix Timestamp (ms)
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ISO 8601
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Local Time
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Timestamp → Date & Time
Date & Time → Timestamp
Timestamp Converter Guide
Learn how to work with Unix timestamps and dates
What is a Unix Timestamp?
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970 (UTC), known as the Unix epoch. It provides a universal way to represent dates and times across different systems and time zones.
How to Use This Tool
- View the current time in multiple formats at the top
- Enter a Unix timestamp to convert it to a human-readable date
- Or select a date/time to get its Unix timestamp
- Copy values using the copy buttons
Pro Tips
- JavaScript uses millisecond timestamps - multiply by 1000 or divide by 1000 as needed
- ISO 8601 format is ideal for APIs and international applications
- Click 'Now' to get the current timestamp instantly
Browser Support
Date parsing and formatting is supported in all modern browsers. Times are displayed in your local timezone.
Frequently Asked Questions
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, 00:00:00 UTC. It's a universal way to represent time that's independent of time zones and doesn't require complex date formatting.
Why does JavaScript use milliseconds instead of seconds?
JavaScript's Date.getTime() returns milliseconds since the Unix epoch for greater precision. When working with Unix timestamps from other systems (which typically use seconds), multiply by 1000 when converting to JavaScript, or divide by 1000 when converting from JavaScript.
How do I handle timezone differences?
Unix timestamps are always in UTC. This tool displays times in your local timezone for readability. When storing or exchanging timestamps between systems, always use UTC (Unix timestamp or ISO 8601 with Z suffix) to avoid timezone confusion.
What is the Year 2038 problem?
32-bit systems store Unix timestamps as signed integers, which will overflow on January 19, 2038. Modern 64-bit systems don't have this limitation. Most current software and this tool handle dates well beyond 2038.
What date formats does this tool accept?
For the datetime-to-timestamp conversion, use the date picker which provides a standard format. For manual input, ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss) is recommended as it's unambiguous and universally supported.