A free, fast, and accurate tool to convert Unix timestamps (Epoch time) to human-readable dates. All conversions are done in your browser, ensuring your data remains private.
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970 (00:00:00 UTC). It is a universal, timezone-independent way to represent a point in time, widely used in server logs, databases, and APIs. Understanding and using timestamps correctly is a fundamental skill in modern software development.
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A Unix timestamp is a time representation method that indicates the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). This starting point is called the "Unix Epoch."
Because it is a simple integer that increments every second, it is a universal, timezone-independent way to represent a point in time. This makes it incredibly useful in server logs, databases, APIs, and any distributed system where synchronizing time is critical.
The choice of this date was a convenient starting point for the developers of the Unix operating system in the early 1970s. It has since become the universal standard for time representation in most computer systems.
Unix timestamps can have different precision levels. Confusing them is one of the most common bugs in software development. This tool auto-detects the precision of your input.
The most common format, used by many backend systems (PHP, Python, SQL).
1640995200Standard in JavaScript (`Date.now()`). Essential for frontend development.
1640995200000Mistaking seconds for milliseconds is a frequent error. For example, passing a 10-digit timestamp to a function expecting 13 digits (like `new Date()` in JavaScript) will result in a date in early 1970, not the date you intended. Always check the precision required by your tools and APIs.
Use `Date.now()` to get the current timestamp in milliseconds. To get it in seconds for a backend API, you must divide by 1000.
// Get current timestamp in MILLISECONDS (for frontend use)
const timestampInMs = Date.now();
console.log(timestampInMs); // Example: 1678886400123
// Get current timestamp in SECONDS (for backend APIs)
const timestampInSeconds = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
console.log(timestampInSeconds); // Example: 1678886400If you receive a timestamp in seconds from an API, you must convert it to milliseconds by multiplying by 1000 before passing it to the `new Date()` constructor.
const timestampInSeconds = 1678886400;
// Multiply by 1000 to convert to milliseconds
const dateObject = new Date(timestampInSeconds * 1000);
console.log(dateObject.toISOString()); // "2023-03-15T13:20:00.000Z"To get the timestamp from a `Date` object, use the `.getTime()` method for milliseconds, or divide for seconds.
const myDate = new Date('2024-10-12T10:30:00Z');
// Get the timestamp in milliseconds
const timestampInMs = myDate.getTime();
console.log(timestampInMs); // 1728712200000
// To get the timestamp in seconds for a backend
const timestampInSeconds = Math.floor(myDate.getTime() / 1000);
console.log(timestampInSeconds); // 1728712200Timezones are the number one cause of bugs in date-heavy applications. Learn the 'Golden Rule' of timestamp management and how to implement it flawlessly in modern Next.js apps.
Read ArticleSeeing 'January 1, 1970' everywhere? You're not alone. This is the definitive guide to diagnosing and fixing the dreaded 'Unix Epoch' bug.
Read ArticleIt's the Y2K of the 21st century. Discover why your application might fail on January 19, 2038, and how to audit your 32-bit systems today.
Read ArticleThis is usually a timezone issue. A Unix timestamp is always in UTC. Our tool shows both UTC time and your browser's local time. The difference you see is the offset between your local timezone and UTC.
10 digits represent seconds, while 13 digits represent milliseconds. The **JavaScript** ecosystem (front-end, Node.js) commonly uses milliseconds. **PHP, Python, Ruby, and SQL databases** often default to seconds. The key is to be consistent within your system and explicit about the precision when interacting with other systems.
On older 32-bit systems, the 32-bit signed integer used to store timestamps will overflow on January 19, 2038. Modern 64-bit systems and languages (including the tech used for this site) have solved this problem, so you can safely use them for centuries to come.
Our converter is bidirectional. In the "Date to Timestamp" tab, you can enter a human-readable date (e.g., `2024-10-26 10:00:00`), and the tool will generate the corresponding Unix timestamp.
The best practice is to use Unix timestamps (in seconds or milliseconds) for machine-to-machine communication, and ISO 8601 strings (e.g., "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z") when human readability matters. Always document your API's expected format clearly. Many modern APIs return both formats for flexibility.
Each database was designed with different priorities. MySQL's TIMESTAMP type stores UTC and converts to the session timezone, while DATETIME stores a fixed value. PostgreSQL's TIMESTAMPTZ is timezone-aware. The key is understanding your database's behavior and consistently using UTC for storage.
Always store timestamps in UTC and convert to local time only for display. Never schedule recurring events using local time math—use a proper scheduling library that handles DST transitions. For critical systems, avoid scheduling tasks during DST transition hours (typically 2-3 AM local time).
ISO 8601 is an international standard for date and time representation (e.g., "2024-12-27T15:30:00Z"). It's unambiguous, sortable as text, and widely supported. Use it for logging, APIs, and anywhere human readability matters. The "Z" suffix indicates UTC time.
Yes! Negative Unix timestamps represent dates before January 1, 1970. For example, -86400 represents December 31, 1969. Most modern programming languages handle negative timestamps correctly, but some older systems may not support them.
For large datasets, use our Batch CSV Converter which can process thousands of timestamps at once. For programmatic conversion, process in chunks to avoid memory issues, and consider caching formatted results if you're displaying the same timestamps repeatedly.
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