Timestamp Converter
Convert Unix timestamps to human-readable dates and vice versa.
Timestamp to Date
Date to Timestamp
What is Timestamp Converter?
Timestamp Converter is a free online tool that converts Unix timestamps (epoch time) to human-readable dates and vice versa. It supports both seconds and milliseconds formats and automatically detects which format you are using. Unix timestamps are the universal standard for representing time in computing, and this tool makes it easy to translate between machine-readable and human-readable time formats.
How to Use Timestamp Converter
- Enter a Unix timestamp (in seconds or milliseconds) in the input field to convert it to a readable date
- Alternatively, select a date and time using the date picker to convert it to a Unix timestamp
- Click the Convert button to perform the conversion
- Use the 'Use Now' button to quickly load the current timestamp for reference
- Copy the converted result in your preferred format for use in your application or database
Tips & Best Practices
Know Seconds vs. Milliseconds
Unix timestamps in seconds are 10 digits long (e.g., 1700000000), while milliseconds are 13 digits (e.g., 1700000000000). JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds, while most Unix command-line tools return seconds. Knowing which format your system uses prevents off-by-1000x errors.
Be Aware of Time Zones
Unix timestamps are always in UTC. When converting to a local date, remember that the displayed time depends on your browser's time zone setting. Servers and databases should always store timestamps in UTC and convert to local time only for display.
Use Timestamps for Debugging
When investigating issues with time-dependent features like token expiration, cache TTL, or scheduled events, convert the timestamps in your logs or database to human-readable dates. This quickly reveals whether timing-related bugs are caused by incorrect timestamp values.
Watch for the Year 2038 Problem
32-bit systems store Unix timestamps as signed 32-bit integers, which overflow on January 19, 2038. If you are working with dates beyond 2038, ensure your system uses 64-bit timestamps to avoid this well-known limitation.
Common Use Cases
Database Debugging
Many databases store dates as Unix timestamps for efficiency and timezone independence. When querying or reviewing database records, convert these numeric timestamps to readable dates to understand when events occurred and verify that date-based logic is working correctly.
API Development
REST APIs frequently use Unix timestamps in request and response payloads for fields like created_at, updated_at, and expires_at. Convert these values during development to verify your API is returning correct timestamps and your client is interpreting them properly.
Log File Analysis
Server logs and application logs often record events with Unix timestamps for precision and consistency across time zones. Convert these timestamps to readable dates when investigating incidents or analyzing patterns in your application's behavior over time.
FAQ
What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970 (UTC), also known as the Unix epoch.
Does this support milliseconds?
Yes. The tool automatically detects whether the input is in seconds or milliseconds and converts accordingly.
What is the earliest date a Unix timestamp can represent?
The Unix epoch starts at January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC, which is timestamp 0. Negative timestamps represent dates before the epoch, so -86400 represents December 31, 1969. Most modern systems support negative timestamps for historical dates.
Why do different programming languages return different timestamp formats?
Different languages use different default precisions. Python's time.time() returns seconds as a float, JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds as an integer, and Java's System.currentTimeMillis() returns milliseconds. Always check your language's documentation to know which format you are working with.
Can I convert timestamps from other epoch systems?
This tool uses the standard Unix epoch (January 1, 1970). Some systems use different epochs, such as Windows FILETIME (January 1, 1601) or Mac Classic (January 1, 1904). You would need to adjust the offset manually before converting with this tool.