What is Time Machine?
Unix timestamps (also called Epoch time or POSIX time) represent time as the number of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC. This format is used extensively in programming, databases, APIs, and system logs because it's timezone-agnostic and easy to compare mathematically. Time Machine is a comprehensive timestamp tool that converts between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates, handles milliseconds and microseconds, calculates time differences, and works with multiple timezones - all without sending your data to any server.
Why Use This Tool?
Developers frequently encounter timestamps in logs, databases, and API responses that need to be converted to understand when events occurred. Common challenges include: converting between seconds and milliseconds, handling timezone differences, calculating durations between timestamps, and debugging date-related bugs. Time Machine handles all these scenarios with instant conversion, timezone support, and a live "current timestamp" display that updates in real-time - perfect for copying into code or tests.
How to Use Time Machine
- Enter a Unix timestamp (seconds or milliseconds) to convert to a date
- Or enter a human-readable date to get the Unix timestamp
- The current timestamp is displayed at the top and updates in real-time
- Select your timezone or use UTC for consistent results
- View the date in multiple formats: ISO 8601, RFC 2822, local format
- Use the calculator to add/subtract time from any date
Features
- Real-time current Unix timestamp with one-click copy
- Automatic detection of seconds vs milliseconds input
- Multiple output formats: ISO 8601, RFC 2822, Unix timestamp
- Timezone conversion with 200+ timezone support
- Date/time math: add or subtract days, hours, minutes, seconds
- Relative time display ("3 hours ago", "in 5 days")
- Batch conversion for multiple timestamps
- Duration calculator between two timestamps
Common Use Cases
- Log Analysis: Convert timestamps in application logs to readable dates
- API Development: Debug timestamp fields in JSON responses
- Database Queries: Convert epoch times from SQL or MongoDB queries
- Debugging: Verify JWT expiration times and session durations
- Scheduling: Calculate future timestamps for scheduled tasks
Tips & Best Practices
- ✓ JavaScript Date.now() returns milliseconds - divide by 1000 for Unix timestamp
- ✓ Most databases store timestamps in seconds, but Java uses milliseconds
- ✓ Use UTC for storage, convert to local timezone only for display
- ✓ The year 2038 problem affects 32-bit signed Unix timestamps
How It Compares to Alternatives
EpochConverter.com is the classic timestamp tool but has a cluttered interface with ads. Time Machine provides a clean, modern UI with additional features like batch conversion, timezone support, and duration calculation. Unlike web-based converters, Time Machine works offline and never sends your timestamps (which might contain sensitive timing information) to any server.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert a Unix timestamp to a date?
Enter your Unix timestamp (seconds since Jan 1, 1970) in the input field and instantly see the human-readable date in multiple formats including ISO 8601, RFC 2822, and your local timezone.
What is the current Unix timestamp?
The current Unix timestamp is displayed at the top of the Time Machine tool and updates in real-time. You can copy it with one click for use in your code or APIs.
How do I convert milliseconds to a date?
Our tool auto-detects whether your input is in seconds or milliseconds. For timestamps with 13 digits (milliseconds), we automatically divide by 1000 to give you the correct date conversion.
Ready to Get Started?
Use Time Machine for free - no registration required.
Launch Time Machine