Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert a Unix (epoch) timestamp to a readable UTC and local date, or turn any date and time back into a timestamp — with a live epoch clock.
What a Unix timestamp is
A Unix timestamp (also called epoch time) is the number of seconds that have passed since 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970, the moment known as the Unix epoch. Computers love it because a single growing integer is far easier to store, compare and do maths with than a human date string with time zones, months of different lengths and daylight saving. Almost every database, log file, API and programming language can produce or read one.
This converter does both directions. Enter a timestamp (in seconds or milliseconds) to see the date in UTC and your local time, or pick a date and time to get the timestamp back. The live clock at the top shows the current epoch second, ticking once per second.
Seconds or milliseconds?
Unix timestamps come in two common scales. Traditional Unix time counts seconds (a 10-digit number today, like 1750000000). JavaScript and many web APIs count milliseconds (a 13-digit number). If a converted date lands in 1970, you almost certainly have milliseconds set to seconds, or vice versa — switch the unit selector to fix it.
The year 2038 problem
Older systems stored Unix time in a signed 32-bit integer, which can only count up to 03:14:07 UTC on 19 January 2038 before it overflows and wraps to a negative number. Modern systems use 64-bit integers, pushing that limit billions of years into the future, so for everyday use it is a non-issue — but it is why you will still see it mentioned in older embedded and legacy software.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Unix timestamp?
It is the number of seconds elapsed since 1 January 1970 at 00:00 UTC, the Unix epoch. It gives computers a single, time-zone-free number to represent any moment in time, which is easy to store and compare.
How do I convert a Unix timestamp to a date?
Paste the number into the timestamp box above and the tool shows the matching date in UTC and your local time. Make sure the unit (seconds or milliseconds) matches your value, or the date will be wrong by a factor of 1000.
Why is my timestamp showing the year 1970?
You are almost certainly feeding a milliseconds value into a seconds field (or the reverse). A seconds timestamp today is about 10 digits; a milliseconds one is about 13. Switch the unit selector to match and the date will correct itself.
Is Unix time always in UTC?
Yes. A Unix timestamp itself has no time zone — it counts seconds since the epoch in UTC. Time zones only come in when you format that instant for a human, which is why this tool shows both the UTC and your local rendering.
What is the year 2038 problem?
Systems that store Unix time as a signed 32-bit number run out of range on 19 January 2038 and wrap around to a negative value. Modern 64-bit systems are unaffected, but the limit survives in some legacy and embedded software.
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