UTC/Local Converter
Current Time
Convert UTC to Local
Enter a UTC date/time to convert to your local timezone.
Convert Local to UTC
Enter a local date/time to convert to UTC.
Quick Reference
What is UTC?
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks. It's essentially the same as GMT.
Why Use UTC?
- Standard for servers & databases
- Avoids DST complications
- Global coordination
- Log file timestamps
Common UTC Offsets
US East: UTC-5/-4
US West: UTC-8/-7
UK: UTC+0/+1
Japan: UTC+9
DST Considerations
Daylight Saving Time shifts local time by 1 hour, but UTC never changes. Always store times in UTC to avoid DST issues.
How to Use This Tool
- View Current Times: The top panel displays current UTC time alongside your local time, updating live. Your detected timezone and UTC offset are shown automatically based on your browser settings.
- Convert UTC to Local: Enter a UTC date and time in the first converter section. Click "Convert to Local" to see the equivalent time in your local timezone, accounting for your current DST status.
- Convert Local to UTC: Enter your local date and time in the second converter section. Click "Convert to UTC" to get the UTC equivalent—useful for scheduling, logging, or API timestamps.
- Check DST Status: The DST indicator shows whether your current timezone is observing Daylight Saving Time. This affects your UTC offset (e.g., EST is UTC-5, EDT is UTC-4).
Technical Details
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the primary time standard for civil time worldwide. It replaced GMT as the international reference and doesn't observe Daylight Saving Time—UTC is constant year-round. All timezones are defined as offsets from UTC, making it the universal anchor for time synchronization.
Your local time equals UTC plus your timezone offset. During standard time, New York is UTC-5; during DST, it's UTC-4. The browser's Intl.DateTimeFormat API provides the local timezone identifier, and the Date object handles offset calculations. When storing timestamps in databases or logs, use UTC exclusively—convert to local time only for user-facing display. This eliminates ambiguity during DST transitions and enables consistent chronological ordering.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Storing Local Time in Databases: Storing "2 PM New York time" becomes ambiguous during DST transitions. Store UTC timestamps, and convert to the user's local timezone only when displaying. This ensures consistent ordering and prevents duplicate/missing hour issues.
- Forgetting DST Changes Your Offset: New York is UTC-5 in winter (EST) but UTC-4 in summer (EDT). Don't hardcode offsets—use timezone-aware libraries that apply current rules. Your offset today may differ from your offset in 6 months.
- Displaying UTC to End Users: Most users don't think in UTC. Always convert to the user's local timezone for display. Use UTC internally for storage and APIs, but show "3 PM your time" rather than "19:00 UTC" in user interfaces.
Related Tools
Need to convert between multiple international timezones, not just UTC? Use our Timezone Converter for worldwide conversions. For standardized date formatting in APIs, try the ISO 8601 Formatter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is UTC and why should I use it?
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the global time standard that doesn't observe DST. It provides an unambiguous, consistent time reference. Store data in UTC to avoid timezone bugs—convert to local time only for display.
How do I find my current UTC offset?
This tool shows your offset automatically. It's calculated from your browser's timezone. In the US, common offsets are UTC-5 (Eastern Standard), UTC-8 (Pacific Standard), or one hour less during DST. Use your system clock settings to verify your timezone.
Why does my UTC offset change twice a year?
If your region observes Daylight Saving Time, your offset shifts by one hour. "Spring forward" reduces the offset (UTC-5 becomes UTC-4); "fall back" increases it. During DST, clocks show a later time relative to UTC.