Q1: What is a UNIX timestamp?
A UNIX timestamp is the number of seconds (or milliseconds) that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC (the "Unix Epoch"). It's a standard way to represent dates and times in computing, making it easy to calculate time differences and store dates.
Q2: How do I convert a timestamp to a readable date?
Enter the UNIX timestamp (in seconds) and click Convert. The calculator will display the corresponding date and time in your local timezone format. For example, timestamp 1699123456 converts to a readable date like "11/4/2023, 10:30:56 AM".
Q3: How do I convert a date to a UNIX timestamp?
Enter a date in a recognizable format (e.g., "2023-11-04", "11/4/2023", or "November 4, 2023") and click Convert. The calculator will convert it to a UNIX timestamp (seconds since epoch). The timestamp will be in seconds.
Q4: What timezone does the converter use?
When converting timestamp to date, it uses your browser's local timezone. When converting date to timestamp, it interprets the date in your local timezone. For UTC conversions, you may need to account for timezone offsets manually or use a timezone converter.
Q5: What is the difference between seconds and milliseconds timestamps?
UNIX timestamps can be in seconds (10 digits, e.g., 1699123456) or milliseconds (13 digits, e.g., 1699123456000). This calculator assumes seconds. If you have a millisecond timestamp, divide by 1000 first, or the calculator may interpret it incorrectly.
Q6: What date formats are supported?
The calculator accepts various date formats that JavaScript can parse, including: "2023-11-04", "11/4/2023", "November 4, 2023", ISO 8601 format, and others. If a format isn't recognized, try a more standard format like YYYY-MM-DD or MM/DD/YYYY.