Convert a Unix Timestamp on Windows Without PowerShell

Windows does not have a built-in command line tool for Unix timestamp conversion. You can write a PowerShell one-liner — but you have to remember the syntax, and the conversion adds friction every time you open a new shell.

The faster path is the browser-based Unix timestamp converter. Open it in Edge or Chrome, paste, done.

Convert a Unix Timestamp in Edge or Chrome

1. Open Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or Brave (any modern browser works).
2. Go to the Unix timestamp converter
3. Paste your timestamp into the top input. The tool auto-detects seconds vs milliseconds based on digit count.
4. Click To Date. The result appears as a UTC datetime.

To go from a date string to a Unix timestamp, paste your date into the second input and click To Timestamp. Output is both seconds and milliseconds — copy whichever your system needs.

Pin it to the taskbar

If you convert timestamps regularly, pin the converter to your Edge taskbar for one-click access. In Edge, click the menu (three dots) → Apps → Install this site as an app. The tool now appears as a standalone app on your taskbar with no browser chrome.

PowerShell Method (For Scripting)

If you are inside a PowerShell terminal already and want to convert without leaving, here are the one-liners:

# Convert Unix timestamp to date (UTC)
[DateTimeOffset]::FromUnixTimeSeconds(1711000000).UtcDateTime
# Thursday, March 21, 2024 7:46:40 AM

# In local time
[DateTimeOffset]::FromUnixTimeSeconds(1711000000).LocalDateTime

# Get current Unix timestamp
[DateTimeOffset]::Now.ToUnixTimeSeconds()
# 1744070000

# In milliseconds
[DateTimeOffset]::FromUnixTimeMilliseconds(1711000000123).UtcDateTime

# Convert a date string to Unix timestamp
$date = [DateTime]::Parse("2024-03-21 07:46:40")
[DateTimeOffset]::new($date).ToUnixTimeSeconds()

The [DateTimeOffset] .NET class is the cleanest way to handle Unix timestamps in PowerShell. It is available in any PowerShell version since 5.1 (built into Windows 10 and later).

The legacy way of using (Get-Date '1970-01-01').AddSeconds(1711000000) still works but loses timezone information and is more error-prone.

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Command Prompt (cmd.exe) — Honestly Just Use a Browser

Classic Command Prompt has no built-in way to do this conversion. You would have to drop into PowerShell anyway, or write a custom batch script that calls a .NET assembly. There is no clean cmd.exe one-liner.

If you are stuck in cmd.exe (because of legacy build scripts, restricted environments, or muscle memory), the browser converter is the right answer. It is faster than opening another shell.

WSL — Linux date command on Windows

If you have WSL2 installed, you can use GNU date directly:

date -d @1711000000 -u
# Thu Mar 21 07:46:40 UTC 2024

date +%s
# Current Unix timestamp

This is convenient if you already have WSL open. Not worth installing WSL just for timestamp conversion.

Common Windows Dev Scenarios

Decoding Windows Event Log timestamps

Windows Event Logs stored as JSON often contain Unix timestamps for fields like CreationTime. Paste the value into the converter to confirm exactly when an event occurred.

Visual Studio diagnostics

Visual Studio's diagnostic logs and ETW traces often include raw Unix epoch values. Decoding them helps when debugging slow startup or performance traces.

SQL Server data with Unix timestamps

If you have a column storing Unix timestamps as BIGINT in SQL Server (because the original data source was a Linux service), the browser converter is faster than running a DATEADD query for each value you want to verify. See also the SQL Server timestamp guide.

Azure DevOps build logs

Azure DevOps pipelines emit log timestamps in Unix format. When you are tracking down a flaky test or a slow build phase, you need to convert them to figure out the actual time of failure.

For the JavaScript and PowerShell developer reference, see the JavaScript timestamp guide or the complete Unix timestamp reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert a Unix timestamp on Windows?

Open any browser, go to a browser-based timestamp converter, paste the value, click. The conversion runs locally in JavaScript. Total time about three seconds, no PowerShell or installs needed.

Does Windows have a built-in Unix timestamp converter?

No. Command Prompt has no date conversion utility, and PowerShell can do it but requires you to remember the [DateTimeOffset] one-liner. A browser tool is faster for one-off conversions.

What is the PowerShell one-liner for Unix timestamps?

[DateTimeOffset]::FromUnixTimeSeconds(1711000000).UtcDateTime converts a timestamp to a UTC datetime. [DateTimeOffset]::Now.ToUnixTimeSeconds() gives you the current Unix timestamp.

Can I use date command on Windows?

Only via WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Native Windows has no date command. If you have WSL installed, you can use date -d @1711000000 -u just like on Linux.

How do I add the converter as a Windows app?

In Edge, click the menu → Apps → Install this site as an app. The converter now appears as a standalone Windows app you can pin to the taskbar or Start menu, with no browser chrome around it.

Does the converter work in Internet Explorer?

No. The tool uses modern JavaScript that IE does not support. Use Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or Brave instead. If you are stuck with IE because of legacy enterprise policy, use the PowerShell one-liner instead.