Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps, ISO 8601, RFC dates, and human-readable formats with timezone support
Interactive tool
Input
What is a Timestamp Converter?
A timestamp converter translates between Unix epoch values, ISO 8601 strings, and human-readable dates. It accepts seconds, milliseconds, and parseable date strings, and shows the result in UTC, local time, and any chosen timezone.
How to Use This Timestamp Converter
- 1Type or paste a Unix timestamp, ISO date, or any parseable date string
- 2Pick the display timezone if you want a specific zone
- 3Read off the converted formats including UTC, local, and ISO 8601
- 4Click Now to fill the input with the current epoch
- 5Use Copy on any field to copy that exact value
Key features
Auto-Detect Format
Detects Unix seconds, Unix milliseconds, ISO 8601, RFC 2822, and other parseable strings without needing a format setting
Multiple Output Formats
Shows Unix seconds, Unix milliseconds, ISO 8601 UTC and local, RFC 2822, and human-readable formats
Timezone Support
Pick from common IANA timezones to see the exact local moment in another part of the world
Now Button
One click fills the input with the current Unix timestamp
Live Conversion
Output updates as you type, no separate convert button needed
Calendar Insights
Shows weekday, day of year, ISO week of year, and relative time from now
Copy Each Format
Each output line has its own copy button for grabbing exactly the format you need
100% Private
Conversion runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded
Why Convert Timestamps?
Logs, databases, and APIs commonly store dates as Unix epoch integers because they are unambiguous and timezone-free. Humans read dates in calendar form. Converting between the two is essential when debugging, correlating events across systems, or reading machine logs by hand.
Common use cases
- Reading Unix timestamps from server logs and databases
- Debugging API responses that include epoch fields
- Translating ISO 8601 dates to local time for display
- Verifying scheduled job execution times across timezones
- Generating timestamps for test fixtures
- Converting between seconds and milliseconds for system interop
- Checking what day of the week a Unix timestamp falls on
- Aligning events from logs in different timezones
Unix Seconds vs Milliseconds
JavaScript and many APIs use milliseconds. Most Unix systems and databases use seconds. The converter auto-detects: 13-digit numbers are treated as milliseconds, 10-digit and shorter numbers as seconds.
Timezones and Daylight Saving
Timezone offsets shift twice a year for many regions. The converter uses IANA timezone data so the displayed local time is correct including daylight saving rules. Pick the canonical zone (like America/Los_Angeles) rather than abbreviations to avoid ambiguity.
Tips & best practices
Use ISO 8601 for storage
ISO 8601 is human-readable, lexically sortable, and unambiguous. Prefer it for log lines and API payloads
Always include timezone
Bare local times invite bugs. Either store UTC and convert at display time, or include the offset in the ISO string
Watch the digit count
Unix seconds are 10 digits today; milliseconds are 13. Misreading the unit is a common source of off-by-1000 bugs
Pick canonical timezones
IANA names like America/New_York handle DST correctly. Abbreviations like EST and EDT can mean different things
Use the relative readout
The relative-from-now field is useful for sanity-checking that a timestamp is recent, not stuck in 1970
Privacy & security
This timestamp converter runs entirely in your web browser using date-fns and IANA timezone data. Inputs are never uploaded to any server, stored anywhere, or transmitted. All conversion happens locally on your device.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC. It is a compact, timezone-free way to represent a specific moment that databases and APIs commonly use.
How does the converter tell seconds from milliseconds apart?
It uses the digit count. 13-digit values are treated as milliseconds and 10-digit and shorter values as seconds. This matches the convention used by JavaScript Date and most Unix systems.
What input formats are supported?
Unix seconds, Unix milliseconds, ISO 8601 strings, RFC 2822 strings, and any string that JavaScript Date can parse including locale-specific formats.
How are timezones handled?
The display timezone selector uses IANA zone names which include daylight saving rules. The same instant is shown converted into the chosen zone.
Is my data sent to any server?
No. Conversion runs entirely in your browser. Inputs are never uploaded, stored, or transmitted to any server.
Why might my date show as 1970 or invalid?
A 1970 result usually means you mixed up seconds and milliseconds, or the input was empty. An invalid result means the string did not match any recognized format. Try a Unix timestamp or ISO 8601 string.