Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps and datetime formats
Timestamp to Date
Date to Timestamp
Global Timezone Comparison
Common Format Examples
What is a Timestamp?
A timestamp is a numeric value representing a specific time. Unix timestamp is the number of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC (called Unix Epoch). It's the standard way to represent time in computer systems, with cross-platform and cross-timezone consistency.
Timestamps are divided into seconds-level (10 digits) and milliseconds-level (13 digits). Seconds-level timestamps are commonly used in Unix/Linux systems, while milliseconds-level are common in JavaScript and other programming languages.
How to Use
Timestamp to Date
- Enter a Unix timestamp in the left card
- Select target timezone (e.g. Beijing Time UTC+8)
- Click convert button to see the converted datetime
- Results include: standard format, ISO 8601, Chinese format, and more
Date to Timestamp
- Select date and time in the right card
- Select source timezone
- Click convert button to get the Unix timestamp
- Results include seconds and milliseconds timestamps
Examples
API Call
Database Time Records
Timestamp Validation
FAQ
Q: What's the difference between seconds and milliseconds timestamps?
A: Seconds-level timestamp is 10 digits, precise to seconds; milliseconds-level is 13 digits, precise to milliseconds. JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds, divide by 1000 to convert to seconds.
Q: Why does Unix timestamp start from 1970?
A: Unix system was created in early 1970s, developers chose January 1, 1970 as the epoch start. This point is called Unix Epoch, the baseline for time calculation.
Q: Does timezone affect timestamp?
A: Timestamp itself is timezone-independent, it represents UTC time. When converting to datetime, target timezone must be considered. Same timestamp shows different times in different timezones.
Q: Will timestamps have an upper limit?
A: 32-bit timestamp limit is January 19, 2038 (about 2.1 billion seconds), called Year 2038 problem. Modern systems use 64-bit timestamps supporting much longer time ranges.