What is Unix Timestamp Converter?

Unix Timestamp Converter is a tool that helps you convert between Unix timestamps (numbers representing time) and human-readable dates. Whether you're a developer debugging an API, a data analyst working with logs, or just curious about a timestamp you've encountered, this tool makes conversion quick and easy.

All Processing Happens Locally: This converter runs entirely in your browser. No timestamps or dates are sent to any server - your data stays on your device. The tool works offline after the initial page load.

What is a Unix Timestamp?

A Unix timestamp (also called Epoch time) is a way of tracking time as a running total of seconds. It counts the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC - known as the Unix Epoch.

Epoch Zero

0 = January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC

Seconds Format

1704067200 = January 1, 2024 00:00:00 UTC

Milliseconds Format

1704067200000 = Same date, but in milliseconds

Why Use This Converter?

Timestamps are everywhere in programming and data systems, but they're not human-readable. This tool helps you:

Debug APIs and Logs

Quickly see what date a timestamp represents

Convert Dates to Timestamps

Get the Unix number for any date and time

Handle Different Formats

See results in Local time, UTC, and ISO 8601

Work with Timezones

Convert using any UTC offset

Batch Process

Convert multiple timestamps at once

Who Uses This Tool?

Developers working with APIs, databases, and log files
Data analysts processing timestamp data
System administrators debugging server logs
QA engineers testing time-related functionality
Anyone who encounters Unix timestamps and needs to understand them

Table of Contents

1. What is Unix Timestamp Converter?
2. How to Use Unix Timestamp Converter
3. Features
4. Frequently Asked Questions

How to Use Unix Timestamp Converter

Converting Timestamp to Date

To convert a Unix timestamp to a human-readable date:

Enter the Timestamp

Type or paste the timestamp in the input field (left card)

Auto-Detection

The tool automatically detects if it's seconds (10 digits) or milliseconds (13 digits)

View Results

See the result in multiple formats: Local time, UTC, ISO 8601, and relative time

Copy Result

Click Copy next to any format to copy it to clipboard

Quick Fill Options: Use Now for current timestamp, Start of Day for today at 00:00:00, End of Day for today at 23:59:59, or Epoch 0 for January 1, 1970.

Converting Date to Timestamp

To convert a date and time to Unix timestamp:

Select a Date

Use the date picker or type manually (YYYY-MM-DD format)

Set the Time

Use the time picker or type manually (HH:MM:SS format)

Choose Timezone

Select Local, UTC, or pick from 25+ common timezones

Get Result

View the result in seconds and milliseconds, then click Copy

Timezone Options

Local

Your browser's timezone (shown with UTC offset)

UTC

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC±0)

Common Timezones

25+ presets from UTC-12 to UTC+12

Custom

Enter any UTC offset manually

Batch Converting Multiple Timestamps

Need to convert many timestamps at once?

Expand

Click Batch Convert

Enter

One timestamp per line

Convert

Click Convert button

Copy

Use Copy All for results

Tips for Best Results

Seconds vs Milliseconds: Most APIs use seconds (10 digits). JavaScript uses milliseconds (13 digits).
Timezone matters: The same timestamp shows different local times depending on timezone.
Relative time: Useful for quickly understanding how long ago or in the future a timestamp is.

Features

Live Current Timestamp

Real-time display updating every second

10-digit seconds format
13-digit milliseconds format
Pause button to freeze display

Auto-Detection

Automatically identifies timestamp format

10 digits or fewer = seconds
13 digits = milliseconds
Visual badge indicator

Multiple Output Formats

Four different format options

Local Time (your timezone)
UTC (universal time)
ISO 8601 (standard format)
Relative ("2 hours ago")

Timezone Support

Comprehensive timezone handling

Auto-detect local timezone
25+ common timezones
Custom UTC offset input

Batch Conversion

Process multiple timestamps efficiently

Unlimited timestamps
One-click conversion
Invalid entry detection
Copy all as tab-separated

Instant Copy

One-click clipboard copying

Copy button for every value
Confirmation toast message
Plain number format

Responsive Design

Works on any device

Desktop side-by-side layout
Tablet adaptive design
Mobile stacked cards

Dark Mode Support

Comfortable viewing in any lighting

System preference detection
Manual toggle option
Optimized contrast

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Unix timestamp and Epoch time?

They are the same thing. Both terms refer to the number of seconds (or milliseconds) since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC. "Unix timestamp" comes from the Unix operating system where this format originated. "Epoch time" refers to that starting point - the Unix Epoch.

Should I use seconds or milliseconds?

It depends on your use case:

Seconds (10 digits) - Most common in APIs, databases, and server-side code (PHP, Python, etc.)
Milliseconds (13 digits) - Used in JavaScript (Date.now()), Java, and when you need sub-second precision

Why does the same timestamp show different times?

Unix timestamps represent a single moment in time, but that moment corresponds to different local times around the world. For example, timestamp 1704067200 is:

January 1, 2024 00:00:00 in UTC
January 1, 2024 07:00:00 in Bangkok (UTC+7)
December 31, 2023 19:00:00 in New York (UTC-5)

What is the maximum timestamp this tool supports?

This converter supports timestamps up to the year 2200, which covers virtually all practical use cases. The upper limit is approximately 7258118400 in seconds.

Can I convert negative timestamps?

Negative timestamps represent dates before January 1, 1970. While technically valid, this tool focuses on dates from 1970 onwards, which covers the vast majority of real-world data.

How do I get the current timestamp in my programming language?

Here are common methods:

about:blank Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) for seconds, Date.now() for milliseconds
Python: import time; int(time.time())
PHP: time()
Java: System.currentTimeMillis() for milliseconds
Bash: date +%s

What is ISO 8601 format?

ISO 8601 is an international standard for representing dates and times. The format looks like 2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z where:

2024-01-01 is the date (YYYY-MM-DD)
T separates date and time
00:00:00.000 is the time with milliseconds
Z indicates UTC timezone

Is my data private?

Yes. All conversions happen in your browser using JavaScript. No timestamps, dates, or any data is sent to our servers. The tool works offline after the initial page load.

Why use timestamps instead of regular dates?

Timestamps have several advantages for computers:

No timezone ambiguity - A timestamp is the same everywhere
Easy math - Add/subtract seconds directly
Compact storage - A single number vs. formatted strings
Sorting - Timestamps sort correctly as numbers