Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert Unix timestamps to human-readable dates and vice-versa. Handles seconds and milliseconds, and displays results in your local time and UTC.
What is a Unix Timestamp Converter?
A Unix timestamp converter transforms Unix timestamps (also called Epoch time) into human-readable dates and vice versa. Unix timestamps represent time as the number of seconds (or milliseconds) that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC, known as the Unix epoch.
Who uses this tool: Software developers, system administrators, data analysts, and anyone working with databases, APIs, or systems that store timestamps in Unix format.
How to Use This Tool
- Enter the timestamp: Paste or type your Unix timestamp into the input field
- Auto-detection: The tool automatically detects whether it's seconds (10 digits) or milliseconds (13 digits)
- Click Convert: Press the "Convert to Date" button to see results
- View results: See the human-readable date in both your local timezone and UTC
- Copy results: Use the copy buttons to copy the formatted dates
Example:
Input: 1678886400 (10 digits = seconds)
Output: March 15, 2023 10:00:00 AM (depending on your timezone)
- Enter the date: Use YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., 2023-03-15)
- Add time (optional): Use HH:MM:SS format in 24-hour time
- Select timezone: Choose the appropriate timezone (defaults to your browser's)
- Click Convert: Press "Convert to Timestamp" to generate the Unix timestamp
- Get both formats: Receive both seconds and milliseconds versions
Example:
Input: Date: 2023-03-15, Time: 10:00:00, Timezone: UTC
Output: 1678886400 (seconds) or 1678886400000 (milliseconds)
Understanding Unix Timestamps
Unix time is a system for describing a point in time. It measures time by the number of seconds (or milliseconds) that have elapsed since the Unix epoch: January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC.
- Universal Standard
- Unix timestamps provide a universal, timezone-independent way to represent time that works across all computer systems and programming languages.
- Seconds vs. Milliseconds
- Traditional Unix timestamps use seconds, but many modern systems (especially JavaScript) use milliseconds for greater precision.
- Integer Format
- Timestamps are stored as simple integers, making them efficient for databases and calculations.
- UTC-Based
- All Unix timestamps represent UTC time. Timezone information is applied during conversion to human-readable formats.
10 Digits = Seconds
Standard Unix timestamp format. Example: 1678886400 represents seconds since epoch. Used by most server-side systems, databases, and traditional Unix tools.
13 Digits = Milliseconds
Extended format with millisecond precision. Example: 1678886400000. Commonly used in JavaScript, web APIs, and applications requiring sub-second precision.
Automatic Detection: This tool automatically detects the format based on the number of digits in your input.
Common Use Cases
Database Records
Convert database timestamps to readable dates for reports, debugging, or data analysis. Many databases store creation and modification times as Unix timestamps.
API Development
Convert between human-readable dates and Unix timestamps when working with APIs that expect timestamp parameters or return timestamp data.
Log Analysis
Parse log files containing Unix timestamps to understand when events occurred. Essential for debugging and system monitoring.
Event Scheduling
Convert specific dates and times to timestamps for scheduling systems, cron jobs, or time-based automation.
Data Processing
Transform timestamp data for data visualization, time-series analysis, or importing into spreadsheet applications.
Debugging
Quickly convert timestamps found in error messages, debug logs, or system outputs to understand when issues occurred.
Technical Details
- JavaScript-Based: All conversions happen in your browser using JavaScript's Date object and the Day.js library
- Timezone Support: Uses the IANA Time Zone Database for accurate timezone conversions
- Auto-Detection: Automatically determines if input is seconds or milliseconds based on digit count
- Real-Time Updates: Current time display updates every second
- Browser Timezone: Automatically detects and uses your browser's timezone as the default
Year 2038 Problem
32-bit systems have a timestamp limit of January 19, 2038. This tool works with JavaScript's Date object which handles dates until the year 275,760.
Leap Seconds
Unix time doesn't account for leap seconds. This matches most computer systems but may differ slightly from atomic time.
Timezone Data
Timezone conversions depend on your browser's timezone database, which may not be perfectly up-to-date with recent political changes.