A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds elapsed since 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970, and a timestamp converter translates between that integer and human-readable date formats in both directions.
Example
1720000000Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:46:40 GMT
ISO 8601: 2024-07-03T09:46:40.000Z
Unix (s): 1720000000
Unix (ms): 1720000000000
Local: Wed Jul 03 2024 10:46:40 GMT+0100 (GMT+01:00)
Relative: 2 years agoWhat is the Unix Timestamp Converter?
The Unix epoch is the reference point almost all computing time is measured from. Databases, log files, APIs, JWT claims and filesystem metadata store time as an offset from it, because an integer is unambiguous where a formatted date is not: no time zone, no locale, no DST edge case, just a count.
The recurring confusion is the unit. A 10-digit value is seconds; a 13-digit value is milliseconds. JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds while most backends and databases use seconds, so a factor-of-1000 error puts you either in 1970 or in the year 54 000. This converter detects the magnitude and handles both.
It shows every representation at once — ISO 8601, both epoch forms, your local time, UTC, and a relative description like '3 hours ago' — and works in reverse, so pasting a date string returns the matching timestamp.
How to use the Unix Timestamp Converter
- Paste an epoch timestamp, or an ISO 8601 / RFC 2822 date string.
- The unit is detected automatically — 10 digits as seconds, 13 as milliseconds.
- Read the UTC, local, ISO and relative forms, and copy whichever you need.
When to use it
- Reading a timestamp out of a log line or database column.
- Checking a JWT's exp or iat claim against the current time.
- Converting a date into an epoch value for an API query parameter.
Unix Timestamp Converter at a glance
| Epoch | 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC |
| 10 digits | Seconds — the standard Unix timestamp |
| 13 digits | Milliseconds — JavaScript's Date.now() |
| 2038 problem | Signed 32-bit seconds overflow on 19 January 2038 |
Frequently asked questions
Seconds or milliseconds — which do I have?
Count the digits. Ten digits is seconds, thirteen is milliseconds. This converter detects the magnitude and interprets it correctly either way.
Can I convert a date back to an epoch?
Yes. Paste an ISO 8601 or RFC 2822 date and you get the matching Unix timestamp in both seconds and milliseconds.
What time zone is used?
Results are shown in both UTC and your browser's local time zone, so there is no ambiguity about which one you are reading.
What is the year 2038 problem?
A signed 32-bit seconds counter overflows on 19 January 2038, wrapping to a negative number and a 1901 date. Modern systems use 64-bit time, but embedded and legacy software can still be affected.
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