Unix Timestamp Converter

Convert Unix timestamps to readable dates and times — and back again. Free online epoch time converter for developers, database administrators, and system engineers.

Value

From

Understanding Unix Timestamps

Unix timestamps represent time as the number of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970, at 00:00:00 UTC. This epoch time system provides a universal way to store and manipulate dates across different systems and time zones.

Epoch Time Formula

Timestamp = (Current Date - Epoch Date) in seconds

Date = Epoch Date + (Timestamp seconds)

Epoch: January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC

Unix timestamps ignore leap seconds for simplicity. Most systems use 32-bit or 64-bit integers. The Year 2038 problem affects 32-bit systems when timestamps overflow on January 19, 2038.

Common Unix Timestamps Reference

Date/Time	Unix Timestamp	Event
Jan 1, 1970 00:00:00	0	Unix Epoch Start
Jan 1, 2000 00:00:00	946684800	Y2K Millennium
Jan 1, 2020 00:00:00	1577836800	Start of 2020
Jan 1, 2025 00:00:00	1735689600	Start of 2025
Jan 19, 2038 03:14:07	2147483647	32-bit Overflow
Dec 31, 2099 23:59:59	4102444799	End of 21st Century

Conversion Examples

Example 1: Timestamp to Date

Timestamp: 1609459200
Calculation: 1609459200 seconds after Jan 1, 1970
Result: January 1, 2021 00:00:00 UTC

Example 2: Date to Timestamp

Date: July 4, 2024 12:00:00 UTC
Days from epoch: 19,908
Result: 1720094400

Example 3: Millisecond Timestamps

JavaScript uses milliseconds: 1704067200000
Convert to seconds: divide by 1000
Result: 1704067200 (January 1, 2024)

Example 4: Time Zone Adjustment

UTC Timestamp: 1704067200
EST (UTC-5): Same timestamp, displays as Dec 31, 2023 7:00 PM
JST (UTC+9): Same timestamp, displays as Jan 1, 2024 9:00 AM

Programming Language Examples

JavaScript

// Current timestamp (ms)
Date.now()

// Current timestamp (seconds)
Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000)

// Timestamp to date
new Date(1704067200 * 1000)

Python

import time
from datetime import datetime

# Current timestamp
time.time()

# Timestamp to date
datetime.fromtimestamp(1704067200)

PHP

// Current timestamp
time();

// Timestamp to date
date('Y-m-d H:i:s', 1704067200);

// Date to timestamp
strtotime('2024-01-01');

SQL

-- PostgreSQL
SELECT EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM NOW());
SELECT to_timestamp(1704067200);

-- MySQL
SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP();
SELECT FROM_UNIXTIME(1704067200);

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Unix time start at 1970?

January 1, 1970 was chosen as the Unix epoch by early Unix developers at Bell Labs. The date provided a reasonable reference point that kept timestamp values manageable with limited computing resources of the era.

What is the Year 2038 problem?

32-bit signed integers overflow on January 19, 2038 at 03:14:07 UTC. Systems using 32-bit timestamps will incorrectly interpret subsequent timestamps as negative values. Migration to 64-bit timestamps solves this issue.

Do Unix timestamps include leap seconds?

Unix timestamps ignore leap seconds for simplicity. Each day is treated as exactly 86,400 seconds. This creates a small drift from UTC over decades but simplifies time calculations in most applications.

How do I convert Unix time to my local timezone?

Unix timestamps are always in UTC. Use your programming language's date formatting functions with timezone parameters. Most systems automatically convert to local time when displaying dates.

Other Free Tools

Search tools

Unix Timestamp Converter

Understanding Unix Timestamps

Epoch Time Formula

Common Unix Timestamps Reference

Conversion Examples

Programming Language Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Unix time start at 1970?

What is the Year 2038 problem?

Do Unix timestamps include leap seconds?

How do I convert Unix time to my local timezone?

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