Date to Milliseconds Converter - UNIX Timestamp
Convert any date and time to milliseconds (a UNIX timestamp) instantly with our free Date to Milliseconds Converter. This tool transforms human-readable date and time values into milliseconds since 1 January 1970 (the UNIX epoch). Perfect for developers, data analysts, and anyone working with timestamps in applications, databases, or APIs. Simply select a date and time and get the millisecond value.
Epoch milliseconds are the lingua franca of timestamps — timezone-free, sortable, and unambiguous — which makes them ideal for storing and comparing moments across systems. To reverse the conversion, use the Milliseconds to Date tool, or check the live clock on the Current Date and Time page.
Current Date and Time - Live Clock Online
Get the current date and time instantly with our free live online clock. See the exact time in your local timezone and in UTC, the day of the week, and the real-time UNIX timestamp in milliseconds — all updating every second. Perfect for developers, system administrators, and anyone who needs an accurate, always-current world clock with no setup required.
Current Date and Time (UTC & Local)
How to Use the Live Clock
- Open the Page: The current date and time load automatically — no input needed.
- Read Local and UTC Time: Compare your local time (in 12- and 24-hour formats) with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
- Copy the UNIX Timestamp: Click the copy button next to the UNIX time value to copy the current timestamp in milliseconds.
Key Features
- ✅ Real-time updates every second
- ✅ Local time in both 12-hour and 24-hour formats
- ✅ UTC date, time, and day of the week
- ✅ Live UNIX timestamp in milliseconds
- ✅ One-click copy for the UNIX timestamp
- ✅ Works on desktop and mobile with no installation
Common Use Cases
- Development & Debugging: Capture live UNIX timestamps for logs, API calls, and time-based logic.
- Database & APIs: Generate accurate epoch timestamps for records, scheduling, and expiry calculations.
- Timezone Comparison: Instantly compare your local time against UTC for global coordination.
- Quick Reference: Check the current date, time, and weekday at a glance without opening system settings.
Benefits of Using Our Tool
- ✅ Free to use with no registration required
- ✅ Accurate, always-current values updating in real time
- ✅ All time formats and the UNIX timestamp in one place
- ✅ Runs entirely in your browser — your privacy is protected
About UNIX Time and Timezones
A UNIX timestamp (also called epoch or POSIX time) counts the number of seconds — or milliseconds — that have elapsed since midnight on 1 January 1970 UTC, the so-called UNIX epoch. Because it is a single monotonic number with no timezone attached, it is the most reliable way to store and compare moments in time across systems, databases, and APIs. JavaScript's Date object works in milliseconds since the epoch, which is why this clock displays the value in milliseconds.
The same instant reads differently depending on where you are. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the global baseline — it never observes daylight saving — while your local time applies your region's offset and DST rules. A timestamp of 1690000000000 ms is one exact moment, but it may show as 14:26 UTC and 19:56 in Kolkata on the clock at the same instant. Always store and transmit timestamps in UTC or as epoch milliseconds, and convert to local time only for display.
Two classic pitfalls catch developers out. First, the seconds-vs-milliseconds confusion: many APIs return seconds (10 digits), while JavaScript uses milliseconds (13 digits) — multiply or divide by 1000 to convert. Second, the Year 2038 problem: older 32-bit systems store seconds as a signed 32-bit integer that overflows in January 2038; 64-bit and millisecond-based systems are unaffected. To convert a specific moment, use the Date to Milliseconds tool, or reverse the process with Milliseconds to Date.
Common Errors and How to Fix Them
- Timestamp 1000x off: You are mixing seconds and milliseconds. JavaScript uses milliseconds; many APIs use seconds — multiply or divide by 1000.
- Wrong time after storing: Store epoch milliseconds or an ISO-8601 UTC string, not a local-time string, to avoid timezone shifts.
- Date shows Invalid Date: The input was out of range or in an unsupported format. Use a standard ISO-8601 string or a numeric epoch.
- Clock not updating: The widget runs on a browser timer. Refresh the page if it stalls, or check that JavaScript is enabled.
Live Example
A chosen moment maps to one epoch value. The result is timezone-independent; the same instant always yields the same milliseconds:
Input (date/time)
22 July 2023, 08:26:40 UTCOutput (epoch ms)
1690000000000 (milliseconds since epoch)How to Use Date & Time to Milliseconds Converter
- Select Date: Choose the date you want to convert using the date picker.
- Set Time (Optional): Add hours, minutes, and seconds for precise conversion.
- Get Result: The milliseconds value is instantly displayed in the output area.
Key Features
- Instant Conversion: Convert date and time to milliseconds in real-time as you select values.
- Live Timestamp Display: See current UTC and local time, plus live UNIX timestamp.
- Easy Copy: One-click copy buttons for both converted value and current UNIX time.
- Flexible Input: Choose any date and optionally add hours, minutes, and seconds.
- Multiple Formats: View current time in both 12-hour and 24-hour formats.
Common Use Cases
- API Development: Generate timestamps for API requests and database records.
- Data Analysis: Convert human-readable dates to timestamps for data processing.
- Programming: Create precise timestamps for logging and debugging.
- Testing: Generate specific timestamps for testing time-sensitive features.
- Timezone Conversion: Understand how dates translate to UNIX timestamps across timezones.
Benefits of Using Our Converter
- ✅ Free to use with no registration required
- ✅ Instant real-time conversion
- ✅ Live display of current timestamps
- ✅ Works on all devices - desktop and mobile
- ✅ No data storage - your privacy is protected
About Converting Dates to Epoch
Storing a moment as epoch milliseconds — the count of milliseconds since midnight UTC on 1 January 1970 — removes all timezone ambiguity. A human-readable date like "22 July 2023, 08:26 UTC" depends on context, but the single number 1690000000000 pins one exact instant that every system interprets identically. That is why databases, logs, and APIs favour epoch values: they sort naturally, compare with simple arithmetic, and never suffer DST or offset confusion.
When you pick a date and time in this tool, it is interpreted in your local timezone and converted to the equivalent UTC epoch milliseconds. Be deliberate about timezone: a "3 PM" in New York is a different instant from "3 PM" in London. For server-side work, always store and transmit UTC (or epoch), and convert to local only at the presentation layer. To decode a timestamp back to a readable date, use the Milliseconds to Date converter.
Common Errors and How to Fix Them
- Timestamp off by hours: A timezone mismatch between the picker's local interpretation and the target system. Confirm which timezone the value should represent.
- Value 1000x too big/small: Some systems use seconds, others milliseconds. JavaScript uses milliseconds (13 digits today).
- Pre-1970 dates: They produce negative epoch values, which are valid but must be supported by the consuming system.
- DST ambiguity: Times during a fall-back transition occur twice. Prefer UTC/epoch storage to avoid it.