Free Timestamp Converter - Unix to Date Converter Online

Convert Unix timestamps to human-readable dates and vice versa. Our timestamp converter handles Unix time (seconds since January 1, 1970) with support for multiple formats and timezones—essential for developers, data analysts, and anyone working with time-based data.

What Is a Unix Timestamp?

A Unix timestamp (also called Epoch time or POSIX time) is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, at 00:00:00 UTC. This date is known as the "Unix Epoch."

Example:

• Timestamp: 1609459200
• Date: January 1, 2021, 00:00:00 UTC

How to Use

Timestamp to Date

1. Enter Unix timestamp - Paste your numeric timestamp
2. Select format - Choose date/time format
3. Click "Convert" - See the human-readable date
4. Adjust timezone - View in different timezones

Date to Timestamp

1. Enter date/time - Use the date picker or type
2. Select timezone - Specify the timezone
3. Click "Convert" - Get the Unix timestamp
4. Copy result - Use in your application

Key Features

• Bidirectional conversion - Timestamps ↔ Dates
• Multiple units - Seconds, milliseconds, microseconds
• Timezone support - Convert across timezones
• Current time - See current timestamp
• Multiple formats - ISO 8601, RFC 2822, custom
• Copy with one click - Easy clipboard access

Understanding Timestamp Units

Tip: If your timestamp has 13 digits, divide by 1000 to get seconds.

Common Timestamp Values

Use Cases

Development

• API debugging - Decode timestamps in responses
• Database work - Convert stored timestamps
• Logging - Interpret log timestamps
• Testing - Create specific date scenarios
• Data validation - Verify timestamp accuracy

Data Analysis

• Data import - Convert timestamp columns
• Time series - Work with temporal data
• Event analysis - Understand event timing
• Report generation - Display readable dates
• Data cleaning - Standardize date formats

System Administration

• Log analysis - Parse system logs
• Cron scheduling - Calculate execution times
• Certificate checking - Verify expiration
• Backup management - Timestamp verification
• Monitoring - Alert timing

General Use

• File dates - Understand file timestamps
• Message timing - Chat/email timestamps
• Event planning - Cross-timezone coordination
• Historical research - Computer date verification

Date Format Examples

From Timestamp 1609459200

The Y2K38 Problem

Unix timestamps stored as 32-bit signed integers will overflow on January 19, 2038, at 03:14:07 UTC. The maximum value is 2,147,483,647. After this, the counter wraps to negative numbers.

Solution: Modern systems use 64-bit integers, extending the range to billions of years.

Working with Timezones

Timestamps are always UTC—they represent an absolute moment in time. When converting to a "local" date, you're applying a timezone offset:

UTC Timestamp: 1609459200
UTC Time: 2021-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
EST Time: 2020-12-31 19:00:00 EST (UTC-5)
PST Time: 2020-12-31 16:00:00 PST (UTC-8)
IST Time: 2021-01-01 05:30:00 IST (UTC+5:30)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do developers use timestamps?

Timestamps are unambiguous (no timezone confusion), compact (one number), sortable, and easy to calculate differences between times.

What's the difference between seconds and milliseconds?

JavaScript uses milliseconds (13 digits); most server languages use seconds (10 digits). Milliseconds = Seconds × 1000.

Can timestamps be negative?

Yes! Negative timestamps represent dates before January 1, 1970. -86400 is December 31, 1969.

Why doesn't my timestamp convert correctly?

Common issues:

• Wrong unit (seconds vs. milliseconds)
• Timezone not specified
• Overflow (32-bit limit)
• Invalid timestamp format

How do I get the current timestamp?

In your browser console: Date.now() (milliseconds) or Math.floor(Date.now()/1000) (seconds).

Are there timestamps before 1970?

Yes, as negative numbers. However, some systems don't support them, so pre-1970 handling varies.

Programming References

Get Current Timestamp