Converters & utilities
Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates in both directions, with automatic seconds/milliseconds detection.
Current timestamp
What is Unix Timestamp Converter?
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds elapsed since midnight UTC on 1 January 1970. It is the most common way to store time in software, because it is just a number: easy to store, easy to compare, easy to do arithmetic on, and independent of time zones or national date formats.
The cost is that humans cannot read it. Nobody looks at 1700000000 and sees a date. This tool converts in both directions and shows the result in several formats at once: your local time, the ISO 8601 form used by APIs, UTC, and how long ago or far ahead that moment is.
A frequent source of bugs is the unit. JavaScript returns milliseconds while most other languages and databases use seconds — a factor of exactly one thousand. The tool detects which you meant from the digit count: 13 digits or more is treated as milliseconds.
How to use
- To convert a timestamp to a date, paste the number into the first field. Click Use now to try it with the present moment.
- The result appears in four formats, along with the unit the tool detected.
- To go the other way, pick a date and time in the second field. You get both seconds and milliseconds.
- Click Copy on whichever value you need.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether my timestamp is in seconds or milliseconds?
Count the digits. A current timestamp in seconds has 10 digits; in milliseconds it has 13. The tool detects this automatically and shows you which unit it chose, so you can sanity-check it.
Which time zone are the results in?
The Local line follows your device's time zone setting. The ISO 8601 and UTC lines are always UTC. If you are in Vietnam, local time runs seven hours ahead of UTC.
What is the year 2038 problem?
Older systems storing timestamps in a signed 32-bit integer will overflow on 19 January 2038. Modern systems use 64 bits and are unaffected. This tool uses JavaScript numbers, which cover a far wider range.
Are negative timestamps valid?
Yes. A negative value represents a moment before 1970. For example, -86400 is 31 December 1969. The tool handles negative values normally.