Convert Unix epoch time to dates and back
Convert Unix epoch timestamps to human-readable dates and vice versa. See the current epoch time live. Supports both seconds and milliseconds. Runs entirely in your browser.
The Unix epoch (January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC) is the reference point for all Unix timestamps. These integer values — seconds since the epoch — are the universal standard for storing time in computing. This converter handles both directions: timestamp to human-readable date and date to timestamp. It supports seconds (10-digit, standard Unix) and milliseconds (13-digit, JavaScript/Java). Understanding epoch time is essential for developers debugging API responses, database timestamps, JWT tokens, log files, and any system that stores time as integers. The tool shows results in both UTC and your local timezone.
They're the same thing. 'Epoch' refers to the reference point (Jan 1, 1970). 'Unix timestamp' is the number of seconds since that epoch. Both terms are used interchangeably in practice.
Unix was being developed in the late 1960s-early 1970s. 1970 was a convenient round date close to the system's creation. The choice was practical, not symbolic.
32-bit signed integers overflow on January 19, 2038 at 03:14:07 UTC. Most modern 64-bit systems are unaffected. Legacy 32-bit embedded systems may need updates before then.
In most languages: JavaScript: Date.now() (ms), Python: time.time() (seconds), PHP: time(), Bash: date +%s. This tool also shows the current timestamp at the top.
Yes — negative timestamps represent dates before January 1, 1970. Timestamp -86400 = December 31, 1969. Most languages handle negative timestamps correctly.