Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert Unix epoch timestamps to ISO 8601 dates (and back) in any timezone. Auto-detects seconds, milliseconds, microseconds, or nanoseconds.
Input
Result
Enter a value for direction to see your result.
How it works
Converts between Unix epoch timestamps and human-readable ISO 8601 dates. Auto-detects whether the input is in seconds, milliseconds, microseconds, or nanoseconds, and renders the result in any timezone (or local browser time).
Formula
ISO_date = epoch_unix / 1000^k + 1970-01-01T00:00:00Z
- epoch_unix
- Unix timestamp value entered
- k
- 0 for seconds, 1 for ms, 2 for µs, 3 for ns
Step by step
- 01Pick the direction: timestamp → date, or date → timestamp.
- 02If converting to a date, choose the unit (or leave it on auto-detect, which guesses by magnitude).
- 03Auto-detect rule: |t| ≥ 1e16 → ns, ≥ 1e13 → µs, ≥ 1e10 → ms, otherwise seconds.
- 04If converting from a date, type any ISO-8601 string (a Z suffix means UTC).
- 05The output renders the moment in the chosen display timezone with weekday and a 'how long ago' relative label.
Examples
Seconds → ISO (1700000000)
1,700,000,000 seconds since the epoch is exactly 22:13:20 UTC on 14 November 2023. Multiplied by 1000 gives 1.7e12 ms.
Inputs
- Direction:
- to-date
- Unix timestamp:
- 1700000000
- Unit:
- s
- Display timezone:
- UTC
Result
- ISO 8601 (UTC):
- 2023-11-14T22:13:20.000Z
- Unix milliseconds:
- 1700000000000
- Detected unit:
- seconds
Milliseconds auto-detected (1700000000000)
Magnitude 1.7e12 → milliseconds branch. Same instant as the seconds example, just at 1000× scale.
Inputs
- Direction:
- to-date
- Unix timestamp:
- 1700000000000
- Unit:
- auto
- Display timezone:
- UTC
Result
- ISO 8601 (UTC):
- 2023-11-14T22:13:20.000Z
- Unix seconds:
- 1700000000
- Detected unit:
- milliseconds (auto-detected)
ISO → seconds (epoch 0)
The Unix epoch itself: 1 January 1970 at midnight UTC.
Inputs
- Direction:
- to-timestamp
- Date/time (ISO 8601):
- 1970-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Display timezone:
- UTC
Result
- Unix seconds:
- 0
- Unix milliseconds:
- 0
- ISO 8601 (UTC):
- 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000Z
Frequently asked questions
What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp (or epoch time) is the number of seconds that have elapsed since 1 January 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC, ignoring leap seconds. It is the most common way to store an absolute moment in time across systems.
How do I tell if my number is in seconds or milliseconds?
A timestamp in seconds for a date around 2024 has 10 digits (e.g. 1700000000). The same instant in milliseconds has 13 digits. Auto-detect uses this magnitude rule, but you can override it manually.
Why does my timestamp show a different time than expected?
Timestamps are timezone-agnostic — they are just a count of seconds since the UTC epoch. The display timezone in this tool only affects the readable label; the underlying instant is the same.