What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp (or “epoch time”) is the number of seconds that have elapsed since 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970. It’s a simple, timezone-free way for computers to store a moment in time, which is why you’ll find it all over databases, log files, APIs and cookies. Because it’s just a number, it’s unambiguous — but it’s not human-readable, which is where this converter comes in.
Both directions, plus a live clock
This tool converts a timestamp into a readable date (in your local time, UTC and ISO 8601), and converts a date and time back into a timestamp. It also shows the current epoch time ticking live in seconds and milliseconds — handy when you need a “now” value for testing or debugging.
When developers use it
- Reading a timestamp from a log file or database row.
- Checking a JWT’s
iatorexpclaim. - Generating a “now” value for an API request or test.
- Converting between seconds-based and milliseconds-based timestamps.
Frequently asked questions
Seconds or milliseconds? Unix time is usually in seconds, but JavaScript and many APIs use milliseconds (1000× larger). Use the unit switch if your number looks 1000× off.
What is ISO 8601? A standard text format for dates and times (like 2026-07-23T10:30:00Z) that’s widely used in APIs and is unambiguous across time zones.
Is my data stored? No — everything runs in your browser.