About this tool
This tool is for developers debugging logs, APIs or databases that store dates as Unix timestamps — the number of seconds (or milliseconds) since January 1, 1970 UTC. Convert in either direction without doing the math by hand.
How to use it
- Enter a Unix timestamp to see its human-readable date, or enter a date to see its timestamp.
- Switch between seconds and milliseconds depending on what your system uses.
- Click "Use current time" to see right now's timestamp.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some systems use seconds and others milliseconds?
Unix time was originally defined in seconds, which many systems (including most databases and Unix tools) still use. JavaScript's Date object uses milliseconds internally, which is why many web APIs return timestamps in milliseconds instead.
What time zone is the human-readable date shown in?
Your browser's local time zone — Unix timestamps themselves have no time zone, they're just a count of seconds or milliseconds since a fixed point, so the "human date" is only meaningful once a time zone is applied for display.
Can this handle dates before 1970?
Yes — Unix timestamps can be negative to represent dates before January 1, 1970, and this converter handles those correctly in both directions.