Free Date to Unix Timestamp Converter
The Date to Unix Timestamp Converter turns a calendar date and time into a Unix epoch timestamp. It outputs both seconds and milliseconds, using your local time zone.
Read an epoch value back with Unix to Date, shift it using Add / Subtract Days, or change its zone with the Timezone Converter.
How to use the Date to Unix
- 1 Pick a date and time using the date field and the time field.
- 2 Choose whether the input should be interpreted as UTC or as your local timezone — this is the setting that changes the answer.
- 3 Read the resulting timestamp in both seconds and milliseconds.
- 4 Copy whichever form your system expects.
How to Use
Pick a date and time and the Unix timestamp appears instantly, in seconds and milliseconds, with the ISO equivalent.
- Date and time picker
- Seconds and milliseconds output
- Uses your local time zone
Frequently asked questions
Why do I get a different timestamp for the same date?
Because of the timezone setting. The same wall-clock reading in Tokyo and in New York is a different instant, so it produces a different timestamp. Decide first whether your value is a local time or UTC, then set the toggle to match — most APIs expect UTC.
Should I store seconds or milliseconds?
Check what the consuming system wants. Unix itself, most databases and Python use seconds; JavaScript and Java use milliseconds. Storing the wrong one is the single most common timestamp bug, and it is usually spotted only when the date is wildly wrong.
Does the tool account for daylight saving time?
When you choose your local timezone, yes — the browser applies the correct offset for that specific date, including DST where it applies. When you choose UTC there is no DST to apply, which is one reason storing UTC avoids a whole class of bugs.
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