Time-based UUIDs hide a timestamp inside their bits. This decoder reads version 1 and version 7 UUIDs and converts that embedded value back into a human-readable date and time — entirely in your browser.
For random (v4) and name-based (v3/v5) UUIDs the tool explains why no timestamp can be recovered, so you always know what information an identifier does and does not contain.
How UUID timestamps are decoded
A version 7 UUID stores a 48-bit Unix millisecond timestamp in its leading bits, so decoding is a direct conversion to a date. A version 1 UUID stores a 60-bit count of 100-nanosecond intervals since 15 October 1582; the decoder reassembles those bits and shifts them onto the Unix epoch to give you a normal timestamp.
Because the timestamp is part of the identifier itself, no lookup or network call is needed — the decoder derives the time purely from the value you paste.
What you can and cannot recover
You can recover the creation time from v1, v6, and v7 UUIDs. You cannot recover any meaningful data from a v4 UUID, because it is random by design, nor from v3/v5 UUIDs, because they are one-way hashes of a namespace and name.
If you need identifiers whose creation time you can read back later, prefer UUID v7. If you specifically want time-ordering that also sorts lexicographically, v7 and ULID are both good choices.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you extract the date from a UUID?
- Yes, for time-based UUIDs. Versions 1, 6, and 7 embed a timestamp that this decoder converts back into a readable date and time. Random v4 UUIDs contain no date.
- How do I get the timestamp out of a UUID v7?
- Paste the v7 UUID above. The decoder reads the leading 48 bits as a Unix millisecond timestamp and shows it in UTC, local time, and raw milliseconds.
- Can I reverse a UUID v5 to get the original name?
- No. UUID v5 is a SHA-1 hash of a namespace and name, which is one-way, so the original inputs cannot be recovered from the UUID.