How to convert UTC time into local time in Java?

Question

I have time coming from gpslocation service in 1352437114052 format. Can some one tell me how to convert this into local time either in Java or Matlab or Excel.

Find out that the offset between local time and UTC is, in milliseconds, and add/subtract it from the value you have here. That gives local time in milliseconds since the beginning of 1970 in your timezone. — hmakholm left over Monica, Nov 09 '12 at 20:49
Similar Question, [GPS Time Representation library](http://stackoverflow.com/q/3038229/642706) and [GPS time in millis to UTC format](http://stackoverflow.com/q/9599176/642706). — Basil Bourque, Sep 08 '15 at 05:03

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 09 '12 at 21:10

5

Create a new Date from your milliseconds since epoch. Then use a DateFormat to format it in your desired timezone.

Date date = new Date(1352437114052L);
DateFormat format = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss.SSSZ");
format.setTimeZone(TimeZone.getTimeZone("PST"));
System.out.println(format.format(date));

answered Nov 09 '12 at 21:10

Steve Kuo

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The result is string. But, how to return Long or TimeStamp? – Dr.jacky Mar 11 '21 at 13:21

Tomasz Nurkiewicz · Answer 2 · 2012-11-09T20:57:56.677

4

This is an epoch time and it represents Fri, 09 Nov 2012 04:58:34 GMT. This numeric value is an absolute point in time, irrespective to time zone.

If you want to see that point in time in different time zone, use GregorianCalendar:

Calendar c = new GregorianCalendar(TimeZone.getTimeZone("EST"));
c.setTimeInMillis(1352437114052L);
c.get(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY); //20:58 the day before

edited Nov 09 '12 at 20:57

answered Nov 09 '12 at 20:49

Tomasz Nurkiewicz

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The key is the use of `TimeZone`. Otherwise you get the default zone. – David R Tribble Nov 09 '12 at 20:54
Use `DateTime converted = c.getTime();` to get converted DateTime – Vincent Mar 22 '16 at 01:01

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Mar 22 '21 at 20:28

The modern Java answer using the JVM’s time zone setting (typically the same as your computer’s time zone):

long time = 1_352_437_114_052L;
ZonedDateTime dateTime = Instant.ofEpochMilli(time).atZone(ZoneId.systemDefault());
System.out.println(dateTime);

Running on my computer I get

2012-11-09T05:58:34.052+01:00[Europe/Copenhagen]

To specify a time zone:

ZonedDateTime dateTime = Instant.ofEpochMilli(time).atZone(ZoneId.of("Asia/Almaty"));

2012-11-09T10:58:34.052+06:00[Asia/Almaty]

Question: Will that work on Android too?

To answer tinker’s comment here: Yes. I am using java.time, the modern Java date and time API, and it works nicely on older and newer Android devices. It just requires at least Java 6.

In Java 8 and later and on newer Android devices (from API level 26, I’m told) the modern API comes built-in.
In Java 6 and 7 get the ThreeTen Backport, the backport of the new classes (ThreeTen for JSR 310; see the links at the bottom).
On (older) Android use the Android edition of ThreeTen Backport. It’s called ThreeTenABP. And make sure you import the date and time classes from org.threeten.bp with subpackages.

Links

Oracle tutorial: Date Time explaining how to use java.time.
Java Specification Request (JSR) 310, where java.time was first described.
ThreeTen Backport project, the backport of java.timeto Java 6 and 7 (ThreeTen for JSR-310).
ThreeTenABP, Android edition of ThreeTen Backport
Question: How to use ThreeTenABP in Android Project, with a very thorough explanation.

DSlomer64 · Answer 4 · 2015-09-08T05:39:20.000

@Steve Kuo answered the question directly, almost. Here's a more general solution for machine's local time, including daylight saving time, where a is of type BasicFileAttributes as reported from Windows directory entry in public FileVisitResult visitFile(Path f, BasicFileAttributes a) during Files.walkFileTree:

  String modifyDate;
  Date date = new Date(a.lastModifiedTime().to(TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS));
  DateFormat format = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss.SSSZ");
  format.setTimeZone(TimeZone.getDefault());
  modifyDate = (format.format(date)).substring(0,10);

score 0 · Answer 5 · edited Jun 13 '18 at 05:17

0

long timeStamp = System.currentTimeMillis();
System.out.println(timeStamp+"");

Calendar calendar = Calendar.getInstance();
calendar.setTimeZone(TimeZone.getDefault());
calendar.setTimeInMillis(timeStamp);

SimpleDateFormat sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd hh:mm:ss a z");
String dateString = sdf.format(calendar.getTime());
System.out.println(dateString);

Output :

timestamp : 1528860439258

dateformat from sdf : 2018-06-12 08:27:19 PM PDT

edited Jun 13 '18 at 05:17

cela

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answered Jun 13 '18 at 03:38

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Please don’t teach the young ones to use the long outdated and notoriously troublesome `SimpleDateFormat` class. At least not as the first option. And not without any reservation. Today we have so much better in [`java.time`, the modern Java date and time API](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/datetime/) and its `DateTimeFormatter`. – Ole V.V. Jun 13 '18 at 11:23
Instant.ofEpochMilli will not work on Android API level < 26. So, you need to tone it down. The question here is on Java, not specifically Android but there is a way to say it. – Jun 14 '18 at 21:27
@tinker Thanks for mentioning it. Indeed `Instant.ofEpochMilli` can work nicely on Android below API level 26. See [my edited answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/50836151/5772882). – Ole V.V. Jun 17 '18 at 09:20

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 26 '21 at 03:46

Since new Date(String string) is deprecated now(which is the accepted answer), we can use DateTimeZone.getDefault() to get the system time zone

  public String getZonedDate(String dateStr) {
    DateTime utcDateTime = new DateTime(dateStr).toDateTime(DateTimeZone.UTC);
    return  utcDateTime
        .toDateTime(DateTimeZone.getDefault()).toString("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss");
  }

How to convert UTC time into local time in Java?

6 Answers6

Question: Will that work on Android too?

Links