Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert Unix timestamps to readable dates and vice versa. Displays the current timestamp in real time.
The Unix timestamp is how computers natively store time. It is the number of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC (the Unix epoch). Every server log, database record, API response, and file system entry ultimately stores time as a Unix timestamp. Converting to and from a human-readable format is a routine task in any backend or data work.
Unix timestamps are in seconds. JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds. If your timestamp is 13 digits, divide by 1,000 to get seconds. If it is 10 digits, it is already in seconds.
Why Unix timestamps exist
Storing time as a single integer is simpler than storing it as a structured date with timezone, daylight saving, and calendar format considerations. An integer can be compared, sorted, and arithmetically manipulated without parsing. Two timestamps can be subtracted to find duration. They are timezone-agnostic (always UTC) and culture-agnostic (no date format ambiguity). Virtually every programming language, database, and operating system can work with Unix timestamps natively.
Milliseconds vs seconds
Unix timestamps are conventionally in seconds (a 10-digit number as of 2025). JavaScript's Date.now() and many modern APIs return milliseconds (a 13-digit number). When you see a timestamp that seems far in the future, you are likely looking at milliseconds. Divide by 1,000 to get seconds. When in doubt: current Unix time in seconds is approximately 1,748,000,000 (as of mid-2025).
The Year 2038 problem
32-bit signed integers can store values up to 2,147,483,647. That number, as a Unix timestamp, is January 19, 2038 at 03:14:07 UTC. Systems that store Unix timestamps in 32-bit signed integers will overflow at that moment, a problem analogous to the Y2K issue. Most modern systems use 64-bit integers for timestamps, which will not overflow until the year 292,277,026,596. Legacy embedded systems (industrial equipment, older devices) may still be affected by this.
Frequently asked questions
What timezone is a Unix timestamp in?
Unix timestamps are always UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). There is no timezone embedded in the number. The conversion to local time happens in the display layer. When you see a timestamp in a database or API response, it is always UTC regardless of where the server is located.
How do I get the current timestamp in my programming language?
JavaScript: Math.floor(Date.now()/1000) or new Date().getTime()/1000. Python: import time; time.time(). Go: time.Now().Unix(). SQL: UNIX_TIMESTAMP() (MySQL) or EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM NOW()) (PostgreSQL). Most languages have a standard library function that returns the current Unix time.