Time Zone Converter
Effortlessly convert dates and times between your local timezone and multiple international timezones. Ideal for scheduling meetings, planning travel, or coordinating with people across the globe. Uses standard IANA timezone definitions for accuracy, including Daylight Saving Time (DST) adjustments.
Accuracy & DST: This tool uses your browser's `Intl` object and IANA timezone data, which generally accounts for Daylight Saving Time (DST) rules. However, timezone rules can be complex and change. For critical applications, always verify with an official source. The 'Your Current Local Time' display uses your device's system time.
How to Use the Time Zone Converter
- Set Base Date & Time:
- The "Date" and "Time" fields under "Select Base Date & Time" will default to your current local date and time.
- You can change these to any specific date and time in your local timezone that you wish to convert.
- Select Target Time Zones:
- Click on the "Choose time zones to convert to" dropdown. A searchable list of IANA timezones will appear.
- Select one or more timezones from the list. You can type to filter (e.g., "London," "New_York," "Tokyo").
- View Conversions Instantly: As you select target timezones, or when you change the base date/time, the "Converted Times" section below will automatically update to show the equivalent date and time in each of your chosen target timezones.
- Current Local Time: The display at the very top of the tool continuously shows your current local time for quick reference.
Understanding Time Zones & IANA
A time zone is a region of the globe that observes a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes. Time zones tend to follow the boundaries of countries and their subdivisions because it is convenient for areas in close commercial or other communication to keep the same time.
Most time zones are offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) by a whole number of hours (UTC−12:00 to UTC+14:00), but a few zones are offset by 30 or 45 minutes.
- Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): The primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is within about 1 second of mean solar time at 0° longitude and is not adjusted for Daylight Saving Time.
- IANA Time Zone Database (tz database): This is a collaborative compilation of information about the world's time zones, primarily intended for use with computer programs and operating systems. It's also known as the Olson database. This tool uses the IANA timezone names (e.g., "America/New_York", "Europe/Paris", "Asia/Tokyo") that are supported by your browser's internationalization features to perform accurate conversions, including historical DST changes.
- Daylight Saving Time (DST): The practice of advancing clocks during warmer months so that darkness falls at a later clock time. Our converter automatically accounts for DST rules for the selected timezones and dates based on the IANA database.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How does the tool know my local timezone?
The tool uses your web browser's built-in capabilities, which in turn rely on your computer or device's operating system settings, to determine your current local timezone and its offset from UTC.
Why are there so many timezones in the dropdown? Can I search?
The list includes a comprehensive set of IANA (Olson) timezones to cover most regions globally. Yes, you can type directly into the dropdown field (after clicking it) to search and filter the list (e.g., type "London" or "New York").
What if my desired timezone isn't listed?
The list is generated from `Intl.supportedValuesOf('timeZone')` which is standard in modern browsers. If a very specific or obscure timezone isn't listed, it might not be supported by your browser's internationalization API. In such cases, you might need to find a major city within that timezone or use its UTC offset if known.
How are historical timezone changes or DST handled?
The `Intl.DateTimeFormat` object in JavaScript, when used with IANA timezone names, is designed to correctly apply historical timezone rules and Daylight Saving Time transitions for the specified date. This means conversions should be accurate even for past dates where DST rules might have been different.