What is a Unix timestamp?

A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds (or milliseconds) that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC (Unix epoch). It's a standard way to represent dates and times in computing. Timestamps are timezone-independent (always UTC).

What's the difference between seconds and milliseconds?

Unix timestamps can be in seconds (10 digits, e.g., 1704067200) or milliseconds (13 digits, e.g., 1704067200000). JavaScript uses milliseconds (Date.getTime()), while many APIs use seconds. The tool handles both formats—enter the timestamp as-is, and it will detect the format.

Why is the converted date different from what I expect?

Unix timestamps are UTC-based, but displayed dates use your browser's local timezone. The tool shows both UTC and local time formats. If dates seem off, check the timezone—the timestamp itself is correct, but display uses local timezone. Verify which timezone you need.

Can I convert timestamps for dates before 1970?

Standard Unix timestamps start from January 1, 1970. Dates before 1970 cannot be represented as positive Unix timestamps. Some systems support negative timestamps for dates before 1970, but this tool focuses on standard Unix timestamps (1970 onwards).

How accurate are timestamp conversions?

Timestamp conversions are accurate to the second (or millisecond for millisecond timestamps). The tool uses JavaScript's Date object, which handles standard Unix timestamp ranges accurately. For very large timestamps or edge cases, verify results match your system's timestamp handling.

What is the difference between seconds and milliseconds timestamps?

Unix timestamps in seconds count seconds since January 1, 1970 (10 digits, e.g., 1706745600). Millisecond timestamps count milliseconds since the same date (13 digits, e.g., 1706745600000). JavaScript uses milliseconds (Date.now()), while most Unix/Linux systems and many APIs use seconds. Our tool auto-detects which format you enter.

How do I handle timezone conversions?

Unix timestamps are timezone-independent — they represent an absolute point in time. When converting to a human-readable date, the tool displays the result in your local timezone by default. You can also view the time in UTC or select a specific timezone to see the equivalent local time in any part of the world.

What does the current Unix timestamp look like?

The current Unix timestamp updates in real time at the top of the tool. As of 2025, Unix timestamps are in the 1.7 billion range (e.g., 1706745600 for February 1, 2024). The tool displays the live timestamp in both seconds and milliseconds format, with a copy button for quick use in your code or API testing.

Timestamp Converter - Unix Time Free

When to Use This Tool

Use this when:

You're working with APIs that return Unix timestamps and need to convert them to readable dates
You're debugging database queries and need to convert timestamp values to dates
You're analyzing log files with Unix timestamps and want human-readable dates
You need to convert dates to Unix timestamps for API requests or database inserts
You're working with JavaScript Date objects and need Unix timestamp equivalents
You want to check the current Unix timestamp for testing or development
You're troubleshooting time-related issues and need to verify timestamp values

Don't use this if:

You need to convert timestamps with timezone offsets or complex timezone calculations (use specialized timezone tools)
You require timestamp conversions for dates before 1970 (Unix epoch) or very far future dates
You need to convert timestamps in formats other than Unix (seconds or milliseconds since epoch)
You require batch conversion of thousands of timestamps (use command-line tools or scripts)
You need to convert timestamps with specific calendar systems or date formats

What is a Timestamp Converter?

A timestamp converter transforms between Unix/epoch timestamps (seconds or milliseconds since January 1, 1970) and human-readable date-time formats. Our tool handles all conversions in your browser — no server requests needed.

Timestamp conversion is a daily task for software developers, database administrators, and system engineers. Unix timestamps are used extensively in APIs, databases, log files, JWT tokens, and system events. Being able to quickly convert between timestamps and readable dates is essential for debugging, data analysis, and system monitoring.

This tool is essential for back-end developers debugging API responses containing timestamps, database administrators querying time-based records, DevOps engineers reading server logs and metrics, data analysts working with time-series data, and security professionals analyzing event timestamps in incident investigations.

Compared to using programming language functions (new Date() in JavaScript, datetime.fromtimestamp() in Python) or online converters that may track usage, PureXio provides instant bidirectional conversion with timezone support, clear formatting, and batch conversion capabilities.

The tool supports both seconds and milliseconds precision, displays the current timestamp in real time, converts to and from multiple date formats (ISO 8601, RFC 2822, custom formats), handles timezone conversions, and shows the relative time difference (e.g., '3 days ago'). It also includes quick buttons for common timestamps.

Best for: converting Unix timestamps to dates and back. Seconds and milliseconds support, timezone handling, multiple formats. Real-time display.

How to Convert Timestamps

Choose conversion mode: 'Timestamp → Date' to convert Unix timestamp to date, or 'Date → Timestamp' to convert date to Unix timestamp. View current Unix timestamp (updates every second)

For timestamp to date: Enter Unix timestamp (seconds or milliseconds). For date to timestamp: Select date and time using date/time pickers

Review converted result. Timestamp to date shows multiple formats (ISO, UTC, local). Date to timestamp shows seconds and milliseconds. Copy result to clipboard

Common Use Cases

Convert API response timestamps (e.g., 1704067200) to readable dates for debugging

Convert database timestamp values to dates for log analysis or reporting

Convert log file timestamps to human-readable dates for troubleshooting

Convert dates to Unix timestamps for API requests or database queries

Check current Unix timestamp for testing or development purposes

Convert JavaScript Date.getTime() values (milliseconds) to seconds-based timestamps

Verify timestamp values when debugging time-related application issues

Features

Convert Unix timestamps (seconds or milliseconds) to human-readable dates

Convert dates to Unix timestamps (seconds and milliseconds)

Display current Unix timestamp updated in real-time (every second)

Show multiple date formats: ISO 8601, UTC string, local time string

Support for both seconds-based and milliseconds-based timestamps

Bidirectional conversion—convert in either direction

100% private—all processing happens in your browser

Limitations & Constraints

Unix timestamps are limited to dates between 1970-01-01 and approximately year 2106 (32-bit integer limits)

Very large timestamps (milliseconds) may have precision limitations in JavaScript

Timezone conversions use browser's local timezone—may not match server timezones

Date picker uses browser's date format—may vary by locale

Cannot convert timestamps for dates before Unix epoch (January 1, 1970)

Troubleshooting

Timestamp conversion fails or shows error

Solution: Check that timestamp is a valid number. Unix timestamps are integers (seconds) or large integers (milliseconds). Ensure timestamp is within valid range (1970-2106). Very large numbers may be milliseconds—try dividing by 1000 if conversion fails. Prevention: Ensure timestamp is a valid number within Unix timestamp range.

Converted date is wrong or off by hours

Solution: This is likely a timezone issue. Unix timestamps are UTC-based, but displayed dates use browser's local timezone. The tool shows both UTC and local time—check which one you need. For server timestamps, verify server timezone. Prevention: Understand that timestamps are UTC, displayed dates use local timezone.

Timestamp is in milliseconds but showing wrong date

Solution: Unix timestamps can be in seconds or milliseconds. If timestamp is very large (13+ digits), it's likely milliseconds. The tool handles both, but verify which format your system uses. JavaScript Date.getTime() returns milliseconds. Unix timestamps are typically seconds. Prevention: Know whether your timestamps are seconds or milliseconds.

Date to timestamp conversion shows wrong value

Solution: Check that date and time are correctly selected. Date picker uses local timezone. The tool converts selected date/time to Unix timestamp (UTC-based). Ensure date/time selection matches your intended time. For specific timezones, account for timezone offset. Prevention: Verify date/time selection is correct before converting.

Need to convert timestamps for dates before 1970

Solution: Unix timestamps start from January 1, 1970 (Unix epoch). Dates before 1970 cannot be represented as standard Unix timestamps. For historical dates, use specialized date conversion tools or handle negative timestamps (if supported by your system). Prevention: Understand that Unix timestamps are limited to dates after 1970.