Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates instantly. See the live current epoch time — essential for debugging TOTP, JWTs, and API tokens.
⏰ Why Timestamps Matter for 2FA
TOTP codes are generated using Unix timestamps divided into 30-second windows. A clock even slightly out of sync will cause code mismatches.
🔑 JWT Debugging
JWTs use iat, exp, and nbf claims as Unix timestamps. Use this tool to decode when a token was issued and when it expires.
🌍 Timezone-Safe
Unix timestamps are always UTC — no timezone ambiguity. This makes them the universal standard for APIs, databases, and security tokens.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Unix timestamp?
A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC — also called the Unix epoch. It's a timezone-agnostic way to represent any moment in time, used universally in programming, APIs, databases, and security protocols.
Why does TOTP use Unix timestamps?
TOTP (Time-based One-Time Password) codes are generated by dividing the current Unix timestamp by 30 to get a "window" number, then combining that with your secret key via HMAC-SHA1. Both your authenticator app and the server independently calculate the same window, so they always produce the same code — without communicating.
What's the difference between seconds and milliseconds timestamps?
Unix timestamps are traditionally in seconds (10 digits today). JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds (13 digits). TOTP and most security protocols use seconds. APIs vary — always check the documentation. If your timestamp has 13 digits, divide by 1000 to get seconds.
What is the Year 2038 problem?
32-bit signed integers can store Unix timestamps up to 2,147,483,647 — which corresponds to January 19, 2038 at 03:14:07 UTC. After that point, 32-bit systems will overflow. Modern systems use 64-bit integers, which won't overflow for billions of years.