Unix Timestamp Converter
What is a Unix Timestamp?
A Unix timestamp — also called epoch time — is the number of seconds that have elapsed since midnight Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on January 1, 1970. This starting point is known as the Unix epoch. Every moment after that is represented by a single integer, making timestamps a compact and unambiguous way to represent dates and times in software.
For example, the timestamp 1704067200 corresponds to January 1, 2024 at 00:00:00 UTC. Timestamps are timezone-agnostic by nature, which means the same integer represents the same instant everywhere on Earth.
How to Use the Epoch Converter
This free tool lets you convert between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates in either direction.
- Enter a Unix timestamp (in seconds) in the first field and click Convert to Date to see the corresponding date and time.
- Pick a date and time using the second field and click Convert to Timestamp to get the epoch value.
- Click Get Current Timestamp to instantly load today's timestamp into the converter.
Common Epoch Timestamps
| Timestamp | Date (UTC) | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Jan 1, 1970 00:00:00 | The Unix epoch — the starting point of Unix time |
| 1,000,000,000 | Sep 9, 2001 01:46:40 | One billion seconds since the epoch |
| 1,700,000,000 | Nov 14, 2023 22:13:20 | A 2023 reference timestamp |
| 2,147,483,647 | Jan 19, 2038 03:14:07 | 32-bit signed integer max (the "Year 2038 problem") |
Why Programmers Use Unix Timestamps
Unix timestamps are the standard representation of time in most programming environments for several reasons:
- Simplicity — A single integer is easier to store, compare, and sort than formatted date strings.
- Timezone-neutral — The same timestamp always refers to the same instant regardless of locale.
- Arithmetic — Adding or subtracting seconds to calculate durations is straightforward.
- Language support — Virtually every language and database engine has built-in epoch conversion functions.
Frequently Asked Questions
On a 32-bit signed integer the maximum value is 2,147,483,647 (January 19, 2038). After that date, 32-bit systems may overflow unless they have been upgraded to use 64-bit integers.
The standard Unix timestamp is counted in seconds. Some systems (notably JavaScript's Date.now()) return milliseconds, which is 1 000× larger. Always check the magnitude of the number if you are unsure.
Divide the value by 1,000 to get the standard seconds-based timestamp, then use a converter or library to turn it into a human-readable date.
No. Unix time is defined as a simple count of elapsed seconds. Leap seconds are ignored, so the clock may occasionally appear to skip backward by one second relative to UTC.