Developer Utilities
Unix Timestamp Converter
See the current epoch time, turn any Unix timestamp into a readable UTC or local date, or convert a date back to epoch seconds. Everything runs locally in your browser.
Nothing leaves your device
Every conversion on this page runs locally using your browser's built-in Date object. Nothing you enter is sent to a server, logged or stored.
What a Unix timestamp is
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds that have passed since the epoch — midnight UTC on 1 January 1970. Because it is a single number tied to UTC, it carries no time-zone ambiguity, which is exactly why databases, logs and APIs lean on it so heavily. The same timestamp means the same instant whether it is read in Singapore or San Francisco; only the displayed local time differs.
Seconds versus milliseconds
This is the trap that catches everyone. Classic Unix time counts seconds, so a current value is ten digits. JavaScript, and many modern APIs, count milliseconds, giving a thirteen-digit value. Feed a milliseconds value into a tool expecting seconds and you land roughly fifty thousand years in the future. The converter auto-detects by length, but you can force either interpretation with the dropdown.
The Year 2038 problem
Systems that store the timestamp in a signed 32-bit integer run out of room on 19 January 2038, when the count overflows. It is the modern echo of Y2K. Anything storing time in 64 bits — which is now the norm — is unaffected for a span far longer than the age of the universe.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Unix epoch?
The Unix epoch is 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970. A Unix timestamp counts the number of seconds elapsed since that moment, which makes it a compact, time-zone-independent way to store an instant in time.
Why is my timestamp 13 digits long?
A 13-digit value is almost always milliseconds rather than seconds. JavaScript and many APIs measure time in milliseconds, so they add three extra digits. A 10-digit value is seconds. This converter can auto-detect which you have, or you can set it explicitly.
Does this show my local time zone?
Yes. The UTC row shows the standardised time, and the Local row converts the same instant into your browser's own time zone, so you can read it in whichever form you need.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. All conversions run in your browser using the built-in Date object. Nothing you type is transmitted, logged or stored.
Last reviewed: · Reviewed by the ShowMyIP team