Timestamp Converter — Complete Guide
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC — a moment known as the Unix epoch. This system is used universally across computing to represent points in time in a format that is unambiguous, timezone-independent, and easy to do arithmetic with.
When you see a number like 1718000000 in a database, log file, API response, or JWT token, that is a Unix timestamp. This tool converts between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates in both directions.
What you can do with Timestamp Converter
- Reading expiry times from JWT tokens (the exp and iat claims are Unix timestamps)
- Interpreting timestamps in log files and database records
- Converting dates to timestamps for API requests that require Unix time
- Calculating how long ago an event occurred from a log timestamp
- Debugging timezone issues by working with UTC timestamps directly
How to use Timestamp Converter
Enter a Unix timestamp to convert it to a human-readable date and time
Or enter a date and time to get the corresponding Unix timestamp
The result shows both UTC and your local timezone for easy reference
Tips for best results
Unix timestamps are in seconds. JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds — divide by 1000 to get seconds
Always store timestamps in UTC — convert to local timezone only for display
Timestamps are not affected by daylight saving time, which makes date arithmetic reliable
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Unix epoch?
The Unix epoch is January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC — the reference point from which Unix timestamps are counted. A timestamp of 0 represents this exact moment.
Why do some timestamps have 13 digits instead of 10?
A 10-digit timestamp is in seconds. A 13-digit timestamp is in milliseconds (seconds times 1000). JavaScript uses milliseconds, while most other systems use seconds. Divide a 13-digit timestamp by 1000 to get seconds.
What is the maximum Unix timestamp?
On 32-bit systems, timestamps max out at 2,147,483,647, which corresponds to January 19, 2038. This is known as the Year 2038 problem. Modern 64-bit systems extend this limit far into the future.