Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates instantly. Live current timestamp display, auto-detection of seconds vs milliseconds, and one-click copy.
Converter
0 0 Timestamp → Date
Date → Timestamp
What Is a Unix Timestamp?
A Unix timestamp (also called Unix epoch time or POSIX time) is the number of seconds elapsed since 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC — the Unix epoch. It's the most common way to represent a point in time in programming.
For example, 1700000000 corresponds to November 14, 2023, 22:13:20 UTC.
Unix timestamps are:
- Timezone-independent — always measured in UTC
- Continuous — no leap seconds in most implementations
- Compact — a single integer vs. a full date string
Seconds vs Milliseconds
Unix timestamps come in two common resolutions:
| Seconds | Milliseconds | |
|---|---|---|
| Example | 1700000000 | 1700000000000 |
| Precision | 1 second | 1 millisecond |
| Used by | Unix/Linux APIs, most databases | JavaScript (Date.now()), Java, logging systems |
| Digits | ~10 digits | ~13 digits |
How to tell them apart: If the number has 13+ digits, it's milliseconds. This converter auto-detects the resolution — just paste the number and it figures out the rest.
Common Use Cases
- Debugging logs — Convert timestamps in server logs to readable times to trace events
- API integrations — Many REST APIs use Unix timestamps for date fields
- Database queries — Query records by time range using epoch values
- Scheduling — Calculate delays or schedule future events using timestamp arithmetic
- UUID v7 — UUID v7 embeds a millisecond Unix timestamp in its first 48 bits; decode it to see when the UUID was created
FAQ
What is the Year 2038 problem? Unix timestamps in 32-bit signed integers max out at 2147483647 (January 19, 2038, 03:14:07 UTC). Systems still using 32-bit time_t will overflow. Most modern systems have already moved to 64-bit timestamps, which won't overflow for 292 billion years.
Does this tool handle timezones? Unix timestamps are inherently UTC. This converter shows both the UTC representation and your browser's local timezone, so you always get both perspectives.
Can I use negative timestamps? Yes. Negative Unix timestamps represent dates before the epoch (1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC). For example, -86400 is December 31, 1969, 00:00:00 UTC — exactly one day before the epoch.