Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert Unix timestamps to human-readable dates and vice versa. Supports seconds and milliseconds.
1779277900Quick Reference
A Unix timestamp (also called Epoch time, POSIX time, or Unix Epoch) is a way of tracking time as a running total of seconds. It counts the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC (the "Unix Epoch").
This simple representation makes Unix timestamps extremely useful in computing. They're timezone-independent, easy to compare and calculate with, and widely supported across programming languages and systems.
Seconds (Standard Unix)
10 digits for current dates
1699999999Used by: Most Unix/Linux systems, PHP, Python
Milliseconds
13 digits for current dates
1699999999000Used by: JavaScript, Java, modern APIs
Database Storage
Store dates as integers for efficient querying and indexing
API Date Parameters
Pass dates in a timezone-independent format
Log Files
Timestamp events with precise, sortable values
Session Expiry
Calculate when tokens or sessions expire
Caching
Determine if cached data needs refreshing
Scheduling
Schedule tasks and calculate time until events
Live Current Timestamp
Real-time updating display of the current Unix timestamp
Bidirectional Conversion
Convert timestamp to date or date to timestamp
Seconds & Milliseconds
Support for both standard and JavaScript timestamp formats
UTC & Local Time
View converted dates in both UTC and your local timezone
Quick Reference
Common time intervals in seconds for quick calculations
One-click Copy
Copy any value to clipboard instantly
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 way to track time as a running total of seconds, making it easy to calculate time differences and store dates.
What's the difference between seconds and milliseconds timestamps?
Unix timestamps in seconds have 10 digits for current dates (e.g., 1699999999). Millisecond timestamps have 13 digits (e.g., 1699999999000) and are commonly used in JavaScript and Java. Milliseconds provide more precision for time-sensitive applications.
Why use Unix timestamps instead of regular dates?
Unix timestamps are timezone-independent, making them ideal for distributed systems. They're easy to compare and calculate with (just subtract one from another for duration), take less storage space, and avoid timezone/format ambiguity issues.
What is the Year 2038 problem?
32-bit systems store Unix timestamps as signed 32-bit integers, which will overflow on January 19, 2038. Modern systems use 64-bit integers, which can represent dates billions of years into the future, avoiding this issue.
How do I calculate a future timestamp?
Add the number of seconds to the current timestamp. For example, to get a timestamp 24 hours from now: current timestamp + 86400 (seconds in a day). Use the quick reference values provided for common intervals.
Why is my local time different from UTC?
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the standard time zone used for Unix timestamps. Your local time includes your timezone offset. The converter shows both so you can use whichever you need.
Can Unix timestamps be negative?
Yes, negative timestamps represent dates before January 1, 1970. For example, -86400 represents December 31, 1969. Most systems support negative timestamps for historical dates.