Discord has a built-in timestamp feature that most people never use because it looks intimidating at first glance. You type something like <t:1763251200:F> into a message, and Discord renders it as a fully localized date and time for every person who reads it.
No timezone math. No follow-up questions in chat. It just works.
This guide walks through exactly how to create one from scratch, whether you are on desktop, mobile, or building a bot.
Fastest method: Open the Discord Timestamp Generator, pick your date and time, copy the output, and paste it into Discord. Done in under 10 seconds.
How Discord timestamps actually work
Every Discord timestamp is built from two pieces:
- A Unix timestamp — the number of seconds since January 1, 1970 (UTC).
- A format letter — controls whether Discord shows just the time, just the date, or a full sentence.
When you wrap those two pieces in the right syntax, Discord converts them into a localized display for every reader. A user in Tokyo and a user in Chicago both see the correct time for their timezone without anyone doing conversion.
The syntax looks like this:
<t:UNIX_SECONDS:FORMAT>
That is the entire feature. The rest of this guide is about getting those two values right.
Step 1: Get the Unix timestamp for your date
This is where most people get stuck. You need to convert a human-readable date and time into a raw number of seconds.
Option A: Use a timestamp generator (recommended)
The Discord Timestamp Generator on this site lets you pick a date and time from a calendar, then gives you every format code ready to copy. This is the safest option because you see a live preview before pasting.
Option B: Use the developer console in your browser
If you prefer doing it manually, open your browser console (F12 → Console tab) and type:
Math.floor(new Date("2026-06-15T19:00:00").getTime() / 1000)
Replace the date string with whatever you need. The format is YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS. This gives you the Unix timestamp based on your local timezone.
Important: The date string here is interpreted in your browser's local timezone. If you are in EST and type 19:00, the resulting timestamp represents 7:00 PM EST. Discord will then display it correctly for every other timezone.
Option C: Use a Unix timestamp website
Sites like epochconverter.com let you enter a date and get the Unix time. Just make sure you are selecting the right timezone in their converter before copying the number.
Step 2: Pick a display format
Discord supports seven format codes. Each one changes how the timestamp renders in chat.
| Code | Style | Example output |
|------|-------|----------------|
| t | Short time | 7:00 PM |
| T | Long time | 7:00:00 PM |
| d | Short date | 06/15/2026 |
| D | Long date | June 15, 2026 |
| f | Short date/time | June 15, 2026 7:00 PM |
| F | Full date/time | Monday, June 15, 2026 7:00 PM |
| R | Relative | in 3 months |
The format letter goes after the second colon. If you leave it off entirely, Discord defaults to f.
Which format to pick
- Announcements and events: use
Ffor maximum clarity, addRunderneath for a countdown. - Deadlines: use
fso people see the date and time without the day-of-week clutter. - Quick reminders: use
Rwhen the exact date matters less than "how soon." - Logs and records: use
dorDwhen only the date matters.
Step 3: Assemble and send
Once you have the Unix timestamp and the format letter, combine them like this:
<t:1771189200:F>
Type or paste that directly into a Discord message. It works in:
- Regular channel messages
- Thread messages
- Forum posts
- DMs
- Webhook messages
- Bot embed descriptions and field values
You do not need any special permissions. Every Discord user can send timestamps.
How it looks in Discord
Before you send the message, Discord shows the raw code: <t:1771189200:F>.
After you send it, Discord renders it as a styled, clickable element. Other users see something like:
Monday, June 15, 2026 7:00 PM
Clicking the rendered timestamp shows the full date and time in a tooltip, which is useful if someone wants to double-check.
Using timestamps on mobile
Timestamps work the same on the Discord mobile app. The rendering is identical — each user sees the time converted to their phone's timezone.
The only difference is creating them. You cannot easily run JavaScript on your phone, so the fastest mobile workflow is:
- Open the Discord Timestamp Generator in your phone's browser.
- Set the date and time.
- Long-press to copy the code.
- Switch to the Discord app and paste it.
The generator works on any screen size, so this takes about the same amount of time as on desktop.
Using timestamps in Discord bots
If you are building a bot, you can include timestamp syntax directly in message content or embed fields. The syntax is the same — Discord parses it during rendering, not during the API call.
Example in a bot response (pseudocode):
const eventTime = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) + 3600; // 1 hour from now
channel.send(`Event starts <t:${eventTime}:R> — that's <t:${eventTime}:F>`);
This sends a message with both a relative countdown and a full date/time display. The timestamp updates live for the relative format, so in 58 minutes gradually becomes in 2 minutes and then just now.
For embeds, timestamps work inside the description, field.value, and footer.text properties.
Combining multiple timestamps in one message
You can stack timestamps for richer announcements. A common pattern:
🎮 Game Night
📅 <t:1771189200:F>
⏳ <t:1771189200:R>
See you there!
This gives readers the exact date at a glance and a quick sense of how far away it is. The relative timestamp updates automatically, so the message stays useful without edits.
When timestamps show the wrong time (and how to fix it)
If a timestamp displays incorrectly, the problem is almost always in Step 1 — the Unix number is wrong.
Common causes:
You converted the date in the wrong timezone
If you used a website or script that assumed UTC but you entered a local time, the result will be offset by however many hours you are from UTC. The fix is to make sure the conversion tool knows your timezone, or use a generator that handles it automatically.
You used milliseconds instead of seconds
JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds. Discord expects seconds. If your timestamp is 13 digits long, divide by 1000 and drop the decimal.
// Wrong: 1771189200000 (milliseconds)
// Right: 1771189200 (seconds)
The timestamp is in the past when you meant the future
Double-check the year. It is easy to accidentally set 2025 instead of 2026, especially early in the year.
Timestamps vs. Discord's scheduled events
Discord also has a built-in Events feature where you create a scheduled event with a date, time, and RSVP button. That is a different system entirely.
Use Events when you want Discord to send reminders and track RSVPs.
Use timestamps when you are writing an announcement, embedding a deadline in a rules channel, or posting something that does not need the full event UI.
They are complementary. Many server admins use both: a scheduled event for the notification system and a pinned message with timestamps for the permanent reference.
Quick reference cheat sheet
Copy-paste these templates and replace the number with your own Unix timestamp.
Full announcement:
<t:REPLACE:F>
Countdown:
<t:REPLACE:R>
Date and time (clean):
<t:REPLACE:f>
Date only:
<t:REPLACE:D>
Time only:
<t:REPLACE:t>
Replace REPLACE with the Unix timestamp from the generator or your own conversion.
Summary
Making a Discord timestamp takes three steps: get the Unix time, pick a format letter, and wrap it in <t:NUMBER:LETTER>. Every reader sees the result in their own timezone automatically.
If you do not want to deal with Unix time manually, the Discord Timestamp Generator handles the conversion and gives you a preview before you paste.