Live UNIX timestamp counter

The Unix timestamp is a 32-bit signed integer format that holds the number of seconds since 01.01.1970, 00:00:00 UTC. It is an internationally accepted measure of time that is used as a fixed reference for time all around the globe.

By the year 2038, this format will come to its limit, as the largest possible number that can be represented using 32 bits will be reached on 19.01.2038, 03:14:07 UTC. All digital systems will need to be upgraded to an extended format by this time, as not doing so would cause the number to roll around to zero, causing errors that are potentially harmful to computerized systems and other dependant environments.

Possible new formats include a 32-bit unsigned integer, which could count up until the year 2106. On the other hand, using a 64-bit format would end the problem once and for all. Its capacity of representing time would be over twenty times greater than the estimated age of the universe: approximately 292 billion years. Exact wrap-around date: Sunday, 04. December 292'277'026'596.

Below you see a binary representation of the UNIX timestamp. The leftmost bit [32] is a sign bit, which is used for storing differences between timestamps. It reduces the maximum absolute value by one half.

Hover over any bit's label to see more information.

Position
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