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TIMESTAMP

Epoch Converter

Enter epoch time in seconds or milliseconds and see the value in both units, plus UTC, local time and ISO 8601.

What is epoch time?

Epoch time, also called Unix time or POSIX time, counts the time elapsed since the epoch: 1 January 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC. The word epoch simply means the reference point a timeline starts from. Other systems use different epochs, for example Windows FILETIME starts in 1601 and Apple's NSDate reference date is 1 January 2001, so always check which epoch an API means.

Epoch seconds and epoch milliseconds

Enter either unit and this page shows both side by side. That helps when a database column stores seconds but your JavaScript code expects milliseconds. Multiply by 1,000 to go from seconds to milliseconds, and divide by 1,000 to go the other way.

Want the background? Read our comprehensive guide: What Is Unix Time?.

How to use this tool

  1. Enter an epoch value, or select Current Time to fill in the present moment.
  2. Keep Unit on Auto, or pick Seconds or Milliseconds.
  3. Select Convert to see Epoch Seconds, Epoch Milliseconds, UTC, local time and ISO 8601.
  4. Copy the value you need. Clear resets the form.

Examples

Three epoch values people often look up.

Start of the year 2000

946684800 (seconds)

UTC
2000-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
ISO 8601
2000-01-01T00:00:00.000Z

One billion seven hundred million seconds

1700000000 (seconds)

UTC
2023-11-14 22:13:20 UTC
ISO 8601
2023-11-14T22:13:20.000Z

The largest signed 32-bit value

2147483647 (seconds)

UTC
2038-01-19 03:14:07 UTC
ISO 8601
2038-01-19T03:14:07.000Z

One second later, 32-bit systems overflow. This is the Year 2038 problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is epoch time the same as Unix time?
In everyday use, yes. Unix time, POSIX time and epoch time all mean the time elapsed since 1970-01-01T00:00:00Z. The practical difference is whether a system counts in seconds or milliseconds.
What are the epochs of other systems?
Windows FILETIME counts 100-nanosecond intervals from 1 January 1601, Apple's NSDate uses seconds from 1 January 2001, and GPS time starts on 6 January 1980. This tool only converts Unix epoch values.
Why does my epoch time convert to a date in January 1970?
That happens when a value in seconds is read as milliseconds. For example 1790000000 milliseconds is only about 20 days after the epoch. Use Auto, or choose Seconds.
Can epoch time be negative?
Yes. Negative values are moments before 1 January 1970. For example -1 is 23:59:59 UTC on 31 December 1969.

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