Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert Unix timestamps to human dates and back, in UTC and your local time.
About the Unix Timestamp Converter
The Unix Timestamp Converter translates between Unix time and ordinary calendar dates, in both directions. A Unix timestamp — also called epoch time — is simply the number of seconds that have elapsed since midnight UTC on 1 January 1970. It is the format databases, log files, APIs, and programming languages reach for when they need an unambiguous, time-zone-free way to store an instant. The trouble is that a raw number like 1753104189 means nothing to a human at a glance. This tool bridges that gap: paste a timestamp to see the exact moment it represents, or pick a date to get the timestamp your code expects.
Everything happens live in your browser. A ticking readout shows the current Unix time and updates every second, so you always have a reference value to copy. The timestamp-to-date field automatically detects whether you pasted seconds or milliseconds by counting the digits — no need to fiddle with units — and shows the result in both UTC and your local time zone, which is invaluable when you are debugging a value that "looks wrong" only because it was rendered in a different zone. The date-to-timestamp field takes an everyday date-and-time picker and returns both epoch seconds and epoch milliseconds, the two units you are most likely to need.
How to use
- Check the current Unix time at the top of the tool. It refreshes every second; use the Copy button to grab the current epoch seconds instantly.
- To decode a timestamp, paste it into the Timestamp to date field. Seconds and milliseconds are detected automatically, and the readable date appears in UTC and your local time.
- To encode a date, use the Date to timestamp picker to choose a day and time. The tool shows the matching epoch seconds and milliseconds, each with its own copy button.
- Click Use now next to the date picker to prefill it with the current moment, then tweak it as needed.
- If an entry is not valid, a short note appears instead of a wrong answer — correct the value and the result returns immediately.
Because the conversion is instant, you can experiment freely: change a digit, switch between seconds and milliseconds, or adjust the date to watch the timestamp update in real time.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds elapsed since the "Unix epoch" — 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970. Because it counts from a fixed point in Coordinated Universal Time, it describes a single instant with no time-zone ambiguity, which is why it is so common in software, databases, and APIs.
What is the difference between seconds and milliseconds?
Classic Unix time is measured in whole seconds, while many modern platforms — JavaScript in particular — use milliseconds (thousandths of a second) for extra precision. A seconds value has about 10 digits today; a milliseconds value has about 13. This converter counts the digits and picks the right unit for you, and when encoding a date it shows both so you can copy whichever your system expects.
Why do the UTC and local times differ?
UTC is the universal reference time, while your local time is offset from it by your time zone (and any daylight saving in effect). The same instant is a single timestamp, but it is displayed as two different wall-clock readings depending on where you are. Seeing both side by side makes it easy to confirm a value is correct.
Does it handle dates before 1970?
Yes. Timestamps before the epoch are represented as negative numbers, and the tool accepts and displays them correctly, so you can convert historical dates as well as future ones.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. This tool is entirely client-side: every calculation runs in your browser using JavaScript's built-in date handling. Nothing you type is uploaded, logged, or stored, and once the page has loaded the converter keeps working even if you go offline.
Which time zone does the date picker use?
The Date to timestamp picker interprets the date and time you enter as your computer's local time zone, then converts it to the universal epoch value. If you need a UTC-based result, adjust the entered time by your zone's offset, or decode a known UTC timestamp in the other field to compare.