What Is a Unix Timestamp?
A Unix timestamp, also called epoch time, is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC. This single number is widely used by computer systems because it represents a precise moment regardless of time zone. A Unix timestamp converter translates that number into a human-readable date and time, and can also convert a date back into a timestamp.
Seconds, Milliseconds, and Microseconds
While the classic Unix timestamp is measured in seconds, many systems use milliseconds or microseconds for greater precision. JavaScript, for example, works with milliseconds, while some databases and APIs return microseconds. Our epoch converter supports all three units so you can pick the one that matches your data.
How to Convert a Timestamp to a Date
To convert a Unix timestamp to a date, you multiply the timestamp by 1,000 for milliseconds and pass the result to a date parser. The resulting value is always interpreted as UTC, but you can display it in your local time zone as well. To go the other direction, you divide the number of milliseconds since the epoch by 1,000.
When Are Unix Timestamps Used?
- Log files and application monitoring systems
- API responses and database records
- Scheduling and expiration times in web applications
- Comparing timestamps across different time zones
For scheduling across regions, pair this tool with our time zone converter. If you need to calculate the difference between two dates in days, try the date calculator.