How to use: Unix timestamp converter
- 1Paste a timestamp into "Timestamp → date". NapTools detects whether it is in seconds, milliseconds or microseconds.
- 2Read the date in India time (IST), UTC and your own time zone, plus how long ago it was.
- 3To go the other way, type a date like 2026-10-04 14:30 into "Date → timestamp".
- 4Copy the seconds or milliseconds value you need.
Seconds, milliseconds, microseconds
| Digits | Unit | Common in |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Seconds | Unix, PHP, Python time.time(), JWT exp |
| 13 | Milliseconds | JavaScript Date.now(), Java, MongoDB |
| 16 | Microseconds | PostgreSQL, Python datetime, tracing tools |
Getting the current timestamp in code
- JavaScript:
Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) - Python:
int(time.time()) - PHP:
time() - Shell:
date +%s - PostgreSQL:
extract(epoch from now())
The year 2038 problem
Systems that store timestamps as a signed 32-bit integer will overflow on 19 January 2038 at 03:14:07 UTC. Modern systems use 64-bit values, which last for billions of years.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Unix timestamp?
It is the number of seconds since 1 January 1970 at midnight UTC. It's how most computers, databases and APIs store time, because it is the same everywhere in the world.
Why does my timestamp show a date in 1970 or the far future?
That usually means it was read in the wrong unit. JavaScript and Java use milliseconds (13 digits), while most other systems use seconds (10 digits). NapTools detects the unit automatically.
How do I convert to IST?
IST is UTC + 5 hours 30 minutes, with no daylight saving. The converter shows IST alongside UTC for every timestamp.
Which time zone is used when I type a date?
A date like 2026-10-04 14:30 is treated as your device's local time. Add Z or an offset, like 2026-10-04T09:00:00Z, to give an exact UTC time.