Discord timestamp format reference
Discord supports six timestamp format codes. Each one tells Discord how to render a UNIX timestamp in the viewer's local timezone — so a single message reads correctly for everyone, no matter where they are.
How a Discord timestamp works
A Discord timestamp is a small inline tag of the form <t:UNIX_SECONDS:CODE>. Discord parses it client-side and shows the corresponding date or time in each viewer's timezone. The UNIX_SECONDS is a UNIX timestamp — the number of seconds since 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970. The trailing letter is the format code.
For example, <t:1735138800:F> renders as Thursday, December 25, 2025 3:00 PM for a viewer in New York and Friday, December 26, 2025 8:00 AM for a viewer in Tokyo — both pointing to the same instant.
The fastest way to get a correctly formatted tag is to use the timestamp generator: pick a date and time, copy the format you want, and paste it into Discord.
The six format codes
:f — Short date and time
Renders as: December 25, 2025 3:00 PM
When to use: The default for most messages. Communicates a specific moment with both date and time.
:F — Long date and time
Renders as: Thursday, December 25, 2025 3:00 PM
When to use: Use when the day of the week matters — meetings, events, deadlines.
:d — Short date
Renders as: 12/25/2025
When to use: Compact, no time. Good for date-only references in tables or lists.
:D — Long date
Renders as: December 25, 2025
When to use: Spelled-out date, no time. Less ambiguous than :d for international audiences.
:t — Short time
Renders as: 3:00 PM
When to use: Time only — useful when the date is already known from context.
:R — Relative time
Renders as: "in 3 hours" / "2 days ago"
When to use: Counts up or down from the current moment. Updates as time passes — perfect for countdowns.
Choosing the right format
For event announcements, :F reads cleanly because the day of the week anchors the date. For countdowns and reminders, :Rstays useful as time passes — "in 3 days" becomes "in 2 hours" without you editing the message. For brief inline references where the date is already implied, :t keeps the line short.
A common pattern is to combine two: an absolute time alongside a relative one, like <t:...:F> (<t:...:R>). The reader sees both the wall-clock time and how soon it is.
Where Discord renders timestamps
Discord renders these tags in messages, embeds, channel descriptions, and forum posts. Bots can include them in webhook payloads. The same format works in third-party platforms that follow Discord's timestamp convention.