Epoch / Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert Unix timestamps to human-readable dates and vice versa. See the current epoch live, copy in ISO 8601, UTC, or local format. Auto-detects seconds vs milliseconds.
Epoch / Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates.
Current Epoch
1778586442
How it works
The Unix epoch is January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC. Every timestamp is simply the number of seconds since that moment. JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds; dividing by 1000 gives the standard Unix timestamp.
Epoch → Date multiplies the timestamp by 1000 (if needed) and passes it to new Date(). The tool then formats the result as local time, UTC, and ISO 8601.
Date → Epoch parses the date input and calls getTime() to get milliseconds, then divides by 1000 for the standard Unix timestamp.
FAQ
- What is a Unix timestamp (epoch)?
- A Unix timestamp (or epoch time) is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC. It's a universal way to represent time in computing — used in databases, APIs, logs, and programming languages.
- What is the difference between seconds and milliseconds?
- Unix timestamps are traditionally in seconds (10 digits, e.g., 1715500800). JavaScript and some APIs use milliseconds (13 digits, e.g., 1715500800000). This tool auto-detects which format you've entered.
- What is ISO 8601?
- ISO 8601 is the international standard for date/time formatting: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss.sssZ. The 'T' separates date from time, and 'Z' indicates UTC. Example: 2025-05-12T10:00:00.000Z. It's the most portable format for APIs and data exchange.
- When does the Unix epoch overflow?
- 32-bit systems storing timestamps as signed integers will overflow on January 19, 2038 (the Y2038 problem). Modern 64-bit systems use 64-bit timestamps, which won't overflow for 292 billion years.
- Why do developers use epoch time?
- Epoch time is timezone-agnostic, easy to compare (just compare numbers), easy to do math with (add 86400 for one day), and compact to store. It avoids the complexity of time zones, daylight saving, and date formatting.
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