Developer Tool

NTP Timestamp Converter

The Network Time Protocol counts seconds since January 1, 1900, in a 32-bit field that rolls over in 2036 — a different epoch and a different looming overflow than Unix time's. Convert one below.

The integer (seconds) part of an NTP packet's timestamp field.

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A second overflow date, separate from 2038

NTP's original timestamp format uses a 32-bit seconds field, which overflows on February 7, 2036 — six years before Unix time's better-known 2038 problem, and using a completely different epoch. Modern NTPv4 implementations handle this with an era number that extends the range far beyond 2036, but older or embedded NTP clients that only track the raw 32-bit field can still be caught out. See The Year 2038 Problem for how the more famous Unix-time overflow compares.

How this fits into time sync

NTP timestamps are what your computer's clock is actually being checked against every time it syncs. For a broader look at how that process works, see What Is NTP?.

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