Time Zone Converter

How this time zone converter works

Pick a date and time, choose the time zone it's in, and the zone you want to convert to the result updates instantly. This tool uses your browser's built-in time zone database, so daylight saving time is handled automatically and correctly for any date, past or future.

UTC vs. local time

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the reference point every time zone is defined relative to it doesn't change with the seasons and isn't tied to any single country. Local time zones are expressed as an offset from UTC (for example, U.S. Eastern Time is UTC-5 in winter and UTC-4 during daylight saving). This tool lets you convert directly between any two named zones, but if you ever need a neutral reference point that both sides of a conversation can agree on regardless of where they are, UTC is it.

Why daylight saving time complicates conversions

Daylight saving time doesn't start and end on the same date everywhere the U.S. and Europe, for instance, switch clocks on different weekends, which means the time difference between New York and London is 5 hours for part of the year and 4 hours for the rest. Manually tracking which regions currently observe daylight saving, and when, is exactly the kind of small detail that leads to a meeting scheduled an hour off. This converter uses your browser's built-in time zone database (the same data operating systems use) to apply the correct offset automatically for whatever date you select, so you don't have to track daylight saving rules yourself.

Scheduling across time zones

The most common use for this tool is confirming a meeting time before sending a calendar invite to someone in another region pick the date and time as you understand it in your zone, select the other person's time zone, and read off exactly what time it will be for them. It's also useful for figuring out what time a livestream, product launch, or flight departure lands in your own local time when it's only been announced in another zone.

A note on time zone names

Time zones in the dropdowns are labeled by city rather than by abbreviation (like "EST" or "CET") because abbreviations are ambiguous CST alone could mean U.S. Central Time, China Standard Time, or Cuba Standard Time, depending on context. Using a representative city (a convention borrowed from the IANA time zone database) avoids that confusion entirely.

FAQ

Does this handle daylight saving time automatically?
Yes because it uses your browser's time zone database, the conversion is correct whether or not daylight saving is in effect on the date you choose.

Can I convert a time on a future date?
Yes pick any date, past or future, and the conversion will use the correct time zone rules for that date.

What's the difference between UTC and GMT?
For practical purposes, they're the same both represent the same reference time. GMT is technically a time zone (used in the UK in winter), while UTC is the underlying time standard, but the values match to the second.

Why are the time zones listed by city instead of abbreviation?
Because abbreviations are ambiguous for example, CST could mean U.S. Central Time or China Standard Time. Listing a representative city removes that ambiguity, which is the same convention used by the official IANA time zone database.

Can I convert between two zones that both observe daylight saving?
Yes the tool independently checks whether daylight saving is in effect for each zone on the date you select, so the offset between them is calculated correctly even when both zones shift their clocks on different dates.

Is this useful for scheduling recurring meetings?
It's best for checking one specific date and time. For a recurring meeting, keep in mind the time difference between two zones can change partway through the year if one or both observe daylight saving a meeting that's a 5-hour difference in January might become a 4-hour difference in July.