Timestamp Converter: Convert Unix Timestamps to Dates Online

Convert Unix timestamps to readable dates and dates back to timestamps with our free online converter. A Unix timestamp is simply a number that represents a specific moment in time—it's the number of seconds (or milliseconds) since January 1, 1970. Computers and databases use timestamps to store dates, but they're impossible for humans to read. That's where our converter helps.

See the current timestamp in both seconds and milliseconds format. Enter any timestamp to convert it to a readable date and time. Or input a date to get its timestamp value. Perfect for debugging applications, working with log files, or understanding when events happened. Supports all timezones and multiple date formats. Everything runs locally in your browser.

Current Timestamp

Timestamp → Date

Date → Timestamp

What is a Unix Timestamp?

A Unix timestamp (also known as Epoch time or POSIX time) is a system for tracking time as the number of seconds (or milliseconds) that have elapsed since 00:00:00 UTC on January 1, 1970 (the Unix epoch). It's a simple, timezone-independent way to represent a specific point in time.

Common Use Cases:

  • Database timestamps (created_at, updated_at fields)
  • API responses and request logging
  • File modification times
  • Caching and expiration times
  • Event tracking and analytics
  • Session management

Seconds vs Milliseconds:

Seconds (10 digits):

  • Standard Unix timestamp format
  • Used by most Unix/Linux systems
  • Example: 1735392000 = December 28, 2024
  • Precision: 1 second

Milliseconds (13 digits):

  • JavaScript's default timestamp format
  • Used by Date.now() and new Date().getTime()
  • Example: 1735392000000 = December 28, 2024
  • Precision: 1 millisecond (1/1000 second)

Example:

Timestamp (seconds):

1735392000

Human-readable:

2024-12-28T12:00:00.000Z

Features:

  • Real-time current timestamp display
  • Auto-detect seconds vs milliseconds
  • Multiple output formats (ISO 8601, UTC, Local, Relative)
  • Bidirectional conversion
  • One-click copy for each format
  • 100% client-side - your data never leaves your browser

Programming Examples:

JavaScript:

// Get current timestamp (milliseconds) const timestamp = Date.now(); // Convert timestamp to date const date = new Date(timestamp); // Convert date to timestamp const ts = date.getTime();

Python:

import time from datetime import datetime # Get current timestamp (seconds) timestamp = int(time.time()) # Convert timestamp to datetime dt = datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp) # Convert datetime to timestamp ts = int(dt.timestamp())

PHP:

// Get current timestamp (seconds) $timestamp = time(); // Convert timestamp to date $date = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $timestamp); // Convert date to timestamp $ts = strtotime('2024-12-28 12:00:00');

Important Notes:

  • Timezone-independent: Timestamps represent UTC time, always convert to local time for display
  • Year 2038 problem: 32-bit systems will overflow on January 19, 2038 (use 64-bit)
  • Precision: Use milliseconds when you need sub-second precision
  • Sorting: Timestamps are great for sorting chronologically (just compare numbers)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Unix timestamp? +

A Unix timestamp (also called Epoch time or POSIX time) is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC. It's a universal way to represent time as a single number, making it easy to store, compare, and calculate time differences across different systems and timezones.

What's the difference between seconds and milliseconds timestamps? +

A seconds timestamp is 10 digits (e.g., 1704067200), while a milliseconds timestamp is 13 digits (e.g., 1704067200000). Milliseconds provide more precision and are used by JavaScript (Date.now()), Java, and many APIs. Our converter auto-detects which format you're using.

How do timezones affect Unix timestamps? +

Unix timestamps are always in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) and don't have timezone information. When you convert a timestamp to a date, you display it in your local timezone. This is why the same timestamp shows different clock times in different parts of the world—but they all represent the same instant.

What is the Year 2038 problem? +

32-bit systems store timestamps as signed integers, which will overflow on January 19, 2038 at 03:14:07 UTC. After this, the number wraps to negative, causing dates to appear as 1901. Modern 64-bit systems don't have this issue and can represent dates billions of years in the future.

How do I get the current Unix timestamp? +

In JavaScript: Date.now() (milliseconds) or Math.floor(Date.now()/1000) (seconds). In Python: import time; time.time(). In terminal: date +%s. Our tool shows the current timestamp and updates in real-time so you can always reference the current time.