Unix Time Converter
Convert Unix time (epoch) to a human date and back, with a live current epoch clock.
Current Unix time (seconds)
0
Epoch to human date
- UTC (GMT)
- Your local time
- ISO 8601
- Relative
Human date to epoch
- Epoch (seconds)
- Epoch (milliseconds)
ToolsSoup's Unix Time Converter is a free epoch converter that turns Unix time into a readable date and converts any date back into epoch time, right in your browser. Watch the current Unix time tick live, paste any epoch value to decode it (the tool auto-detects seconds vs. milliseconds), and copy the result instantly — no uploads, no sign-up, and your data never leaves your device.
What is Unix time?
Unix time, also called epoch time or POSIX time, is the number of seconds elapsed since the Unix epoch — 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970 — excluding leap seconds. It is a single integer measured in one fixed time zone, which makes it a compact, unambiguous way to record a moment that any programming language or database can read the same way. Where a timestamp string carries formatting and a time zone, raw Unix time is just a count of seconds since the epoch.
How to convert epoch time online
Decoding or generating Unix time with this epoch converter is quick:
- Paste an epoch value into the top box; the tool auto-detects whether it is in seconds or milliseconds and shows you which.
- Click Convert epoch to read the UTC, local, ISO 8601, and relative time, or click Use now to drop in the live current epoch.
- To create epoch time from a calendar date, type a date in the lower box and click Get epoch time, then copy the seconds or milliseconds value.
Epoch in seconds vs. milliseconds
Classic Unix time counts whole seconds, which is what most servers, databases, and APIs store. Browsers and JavaScript count milliseconds (seconds × 1000) for finer precision. This converter assumes any value with 13 or more digits is milliseconds and anything shorter is seconds, so a 10-digit epoch decodes as seconds and a 13-digit epoch decodes as milliseconds automatically.
The Year 2038 problem
Systems that store Unix time in a signed 32-bit integer can only count up to 2,147,483,647 seconds, which is reached at 03:14:07 UTC on 19 January 2038. Past that point the counter overflows and wraps to a negative number, mis-reading the date as December 1901 — the so-called Y2038 bug. Modern platforms store epoch time in 64-bit integers, pushing the limit billions of years into the future, so most software is already safe.
Why use this Unix time converter?
- 100% free epoch converter with no ads, sign-up, or limits.
- Live current Unix time clock you can copy with one click.
- Auto-detects whether your epoch value is in seconds or milliseconds.
- Converts both ways: epoch to date and date to epoch.
- Shows UTC, your local time zone, ISO 8601, and a relative time.
- Runs entirely in your browser, so epoch values are never uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Unix epoch?
The Unix epoch is the reference point for Unix time: 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970. Every epoch value is simply the number of seconds (or milliseconds) counted from that exact instant.
How do I convert epoch time to a date?
Paste the epoch value into the top box and click Convert epoch. The tool auto-detects seconds versus milliseconds and shows the UTC, local, ISO 8601, and relative time at once.
Is Unix time always in UTC?
Yes. Unix time is defined as seconds since the epoch in UTC, with no time zone offset. This converter still shows your local time alongside UTC so you can read the moment in your own zone.
Does this tool handle milliseconds?
Yes. It treats any epoch with 13 or more digits as milliseconds and shorter values as seconds, and the date-to-epoch direction gives you both the seconds and milliseconds value to copy.
What is the Year 2038 problem?
On systems that store Unix time as a signed 32-bit integer, the counter overflows at 03:14:07 UTC on 19 January 2038 and wraps to a negative date. 64-bit systems are unaffected, so most modern software has no issue.