Discord timestamp generator
Announcing a raid, an event, or a stream to people in six countries? Post a timestamp instead of a time. Discord renders it in each person's own timezone, so nobody has to do the math.
How Discord timestamps work
The code is <t:UNIX:FORMAT> — a Unix timestamp plus a one-letter style. Discord stores the moment in absolute time and each client renders it locally, which is why one message reads "8:00 PM" for you and "5:00 AM" for someone in Tokyo, correctly, with no edits from you. It works in messages, embeds, and most bot output.
Pick the format by what the reader needs. R (relative) is best for countdowns — "in 3 hours" updates itself as the moment approaches and is the right choice for event pings. F is best for announcements people will scroll back to, since it names the weekday. t is the compact one for inline mentions where the date is already obvious from context.
Two things worth knowing: relative timestamps keep counting after the moment passes ("2 hours ago"), which is genuinely useful for "started when?" questions, and the codes render as plain text anywhere outside Discord — so don't paste them into an email and expect magic.
Questions
Which format should I use for an event announcement?
Use two: F for the absolute date and time so people can plan, and R right after it for the live countdown. That combination answers both "when is it?" and "how long do I have?" without anyone converting anything.
Why does my timestamp show the wrong time?
The picker uses your device's timezone, so the code encodes the moment as you meant it locally. If it looks wrong to you, check your own device clock and timezone — everyone else's rendering follows from the same absolute instant.
Do timestamps work in embeds and bot messages?
Yes, in embed descriptions and fields, and in most bot output that passes text through. They don't render in channel names, topics, or usernames.
What happens after the time passes?
Absolute formats keep showing the date as normal. Relative (R) flips to counting up — "3 hours ago" — which makes it handy for pinned "server started at" style messages too.