PureTools
Convert Unix Timestamps and Epoch Time Instantly
Paste a Unix timestamp to see the matching date in 8 timezones with relative time, or pick a date to get the timestamp in seconds, milliseconds and microseconds. Bidirectional, live, fully private.
Enter a Unix timestamp above to convert it.
Pick a date and time above to get its Unix timestamp.
How to use the Epoch Converter
The tool has two modes: Timestamp → Date converts a raw numeric timestamp into human-readable dates across multiple timezones, and Date → Timestamp does the reverse, pick any date and get back the Unix integer your code, database or API expects. A live clock at the top shows the current timestamp updating every second.
- Paste a timestamp, type or paste any Unix timestamp in the input field on the first tab. The result updates instantly.
- Let auto-detect choose the unit, the tool identifies seconds vs milliseconds automatically, or override it with the unit dropdown.
- Use presets, click Now, 1 hour ago, Yesterday, 1 year ago or Unix epoch (0) to populate the field instantly.
- Read the worldwide panel, the result shows UTC, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Tokyo and Shanghai simultaneously, accounting for daylight saving time.
- Switch to Date → Timestamp, pick a date, click Set to now, or clear and type manually. Copy individual values with the Copy buttons next to each result.
- Export, use Copy ISO 8601 for a standard date string, or Copy summary for a full plain-text snapshot.
What Unix timestamps are used for
Unix timestamps are the backbone of timekeeping in software. Every major database (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB), language (Python, JavaScript, Go, Rust) and cloud API returns or accepts them. They are timezone-agnostic, a timestamp of 1700000000 means the exact same instant everywhere on Earth. Sorting records by timestamp, calculating durations, measuring latency and scheduling future events all rely on this single integer. For more time arithmetic across minutes, hours and days, the Time Converter handles general unit conversions.
Seconds vs milliseconds vs microseconds
Most server systems return time in seconds. Web browsers and most web services return milliseconds. High-precision measurements may use microseconds. A quick rule: if the number has 10 digits it is seconds; 13 digits, milliseconds; 16 digits, microseconds. The tool auto-detects the unit for you, but you can always override it manually.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, at 00:00:00 UTC, a moment known as the Unix epoch. It is a single integer that uniquely identifies any point in time, making it the universal language of time in software, databases, APIs and log files. A timestamp of 0 means January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC, while 1700000000 corresponds to November 14, 2023 22:13:20 UTC. Developers also use the JSON Formatter to inspect API responses that carry timestamps.
How does the auto-detection of seconds vs milliseconds work?
The tool uses a threshold of 10¹¹ (100 billion): any timestamp whose absolute value exceeds that is treated as milliseconds; anything smaller is treated as seconds. This works reliably because Unix timestamps in seconds reached 1 billion in September 2001 and will not reach 100 billion until the year 5138, while millisecond timestamps already exceed 1.7 trillion today. You can always override auto-detection by selecting Seconds or Milliseconds from the unit dropdown.
How do I convert a date to a Unix timestamp?
Switch to the Date → Timestamp tab, click Set to now for the current moment or pick any date using the date-time picker. The tool instantly shows the equivalent Unix timestamp in seconds, milliseconds and microseconds, along with a standard formatted date string and relative time. Each value has its own Copy button.
What is the Unix epoch?
The Unix epoch is the reference point for all Unix timestamps: midnight on January 1, 1970 UTC. At that exact moment, the Unix timestamp is 0. The date was chosen by the developers of early Unix systems as a convenient starting point. Every Unix timestamp is simply the count of seconds (or milliseconds) elapsed since that moment. Use the Unix epoch (0) preset chip to see timestamp zero converted to a human date in every timezone panel.
Why does my timestamp convert to a date in 1970?
If your timestamp converts to a date near January 1, 1970, the most common causes are: (1) wrong unit, a microsecond timestamp like 1700000000000000 is 1000× larger than the equivalent millisecond value; divide by 1000 before pasting; (2) missing digits, a typo that dropped trailing zeros will produce a value orders of magnitude too small; (3) the value is genuinely a small number of seconds from the epoch. Try switching the unit dropdown from Auto-detect to Milliseconds or Seconds to see how the interpretation changes.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. Every conversion runs entirely in your browser. No timestamp, date or any other value you enter is ever sent to any server. The page works offline once loaded, and the live clock reads your local system time. Your data is erased automatically when you close the tab. Only the static page files load from PureTools; the actual values you type stay in the current browser tab and disappear with that tab session. Your data is never used to train AI models or improve machine learning systems.
What is ISO 8601 and why does it appear in the results?
ISO 8601 is the international standard for writing dates and times as text, like 2023-11-14T22:13:20Z (where Z means UTC timezone). This format is unambiguous and understood by virtually every programming language, database and web service. The converter always displays it alongside the Unix timestamp so you can copy whichever format you need.
How does the worldwide time panel work?
After you enter a timestamp, the converter displays the corresponding local time in eight major cities simultaneously: UTC, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Tokyo and Shanghai. Each city uses the correct historical timezone offset for that specific date, including daylight saving time transitions. This lets you immediately see what time a server event, API response timestamp or log entry corresponds to in each region without running separate conversions. For more general time unit arithmetic, see the Time Converter.