Which UUID versions have an embedded timestamp?

Version 1 (Gregorian time-based) and version 7 (Unix Epoch time-based) both embed a creation timestamp in their bits. Versions 3 and 5 are hashes of a namespace and name, version 4 is fully random, and version 8 is vendor-defined — none of these carry a usable timestamp.

Why does a v1 UUID use a strange epoch?

UUID v1 counts 100-nanosecond intervals since 1582-10-15, the start of the Gregorian calendar reform, not since 1970. This tool converts that count to standard Unix time automatically.

How accurate is the v7 timestamp?

UUID v7 stores whole milliseconds since the Unix epoch directly in its first 48 bits, so the decoded time is accurate to the millisecond the ID was generated.

Is my UUID sent to a server?

No. Decoding happens with plain JavaScript in your browser using BigInt arithmetic. Nothing is uploaded or logged.

My UUID is v4, why is there no timestamp?

Version 4 UUIDs are generated from random or pseudo-random bits with no time component by design, which is exactly why they are the default choice when you do not want an ID to leak creation time.

What format does the UUID need to be in?

A standard 32-character hex UUID, with or without the usual dashes (8-4-4-4-12). Braces, spaces, and the urn:uuid: prefix are stripped automatically.

UUID to Timestamp

Name: UUID to Timestamp
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Paste a UUID and see the exact creation timestamp hidden inside its v1 or v7 bits, in UTC and your local time.

UUID

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Paste a UUID on the left to extract its timestamp

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Summary

Paste a UUID and see the exact creation timestamp hidden inside its v1 or v7 bits, in UTC and your local time.

How it works

Paste a UUID into the input field, with or without dashes.
The tool detects the UUID version from the bits automatically.
For v1 and v7 UUIDs, the embedded creation timestamp appears in UTC and local time.
For v4 and other random or hash-based UUIDs, a clear message explains that no timestamp is embedded.

Use cases

Find when a database row was created from its v1 or v7 primary key.
Debug event ordering in a system that uses UUID v7 as a sortable identifier.
Check whether an ID scheme is actually time-based before relying on it for ordering.
Verify that a UUID v1 was generated at the expected time during testing.
Teach or learn how time-based UUIDs pack a timestamp into their bits.
Confirm a UUID is v4 (random) and therefore safe to use with no timing leakage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-27 · Reviewed by Nham Vu