What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp counts the seconds since January 1, 1970 at UTC. It is a single number that every system agrees on, which makes it the standard way to store and transmit time in code.
This converter moves between that number and human-readable dates in both directions, and it keeps the current epoch ticking live so you always have a fresh reference.
How to use this tool
- Convert a timestamp to a date by pasting it and clicking Convert.
- Convert a date to a timestamp by picking a time and clicking Convert.
- Read the current epoch and its formats at the top of the page.
What the formats mean
- ISO 8601: the compact international standard, like 2026-08-14T12:00:00Z.
- RFC 822 / 2822: email-style dates used in HTTP headers.
- RFC 3339: a profile of ISO used by many APIs.
- Local: your own time zone in your own format.
Seconds or milliseconds?
Some systems store milliseconds instead of seconds, which looks like a 13-digit number. This converter spots the difference automatically and converts either one correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the number of seconds that have passed since January 1, 1970 at UTC. Computers love it because it is a single number that sorts and compares easily.
That is milliseconds. The tool detects both seconds and milliseconds automatically, so a 13-digit value converts correctly without you doing anything.
Paste the number and click Convert. You get the date in ISO 8601, RFC 822, RFC 2822, RFC 3339 and your local time all at once.
On 32-bit systems, timestamps overflow on that date. Modern 64-bit systems handle much larger values, but old software may still hit the limit.
The epoch is defined in UTC, so the number is identical across time zones. Only the human-readable date changes based on where you are.
Yes. The current epoch refreshes every second, so you always have an up-to-date number to copy or compare against.