Milliseconds Converter
Common Conversions
| Time Unit | Milliseconds |
|---|---|
| 1 millisecond | 1 |
| 1 second | 1,000 |
| 1 minute | 60,000 |
| 1 hour | 3,600,000 |
| 1 day | 86,400,000 |
| 1 week | 604,800,000 |
| 1 year (365d) | 31,536,000,000 |
Quick Facts
Related Calculators
Understanding Milliseconds
What is a Millisecond?
A millisecond (ms) is one-thousandth of a second. It's a unit of time commonly used in computing, programming, and scientific measurements where precision matters. The human eye blink takes about 300-400 milliseconds.
Conversion Formula
milliseconds ÷ 1,000 = seconds
Complete Conversion Table
| Time Unit | Milliseconds | Scientific |
|---|---|---|
| 1 millisecond | 1 | 10⁰ |
| 1 second | 1,000 | 10³ |
| 1 minute | 60,000 | 6 × 10⁴ |
| 1 hour | 3,600,000 | 3.6 × 10⁶ |
| 1 day | 86,400,000 | 8.64 × 10⁷ |
| 1 week | 604,800,000 | 6.048 × 10⁸ |
| 1 month (30d) | 2,592,000,000 | 2.592 × 10⁹ |
| 1 year (365d) | 31,536,000,000 | 3.154 × 10¹⁰ |
Common Uses in Programming
JavaScript Date
new Date(1704067200000)
setTimeout/setInterval
setInterval(fn, 1000) // 1 sec
Performance Timing
console.time('label')
Animation Duration
animation-duration: 500ms
Unix Timestamp
Unix timestamps count seconds since January 1, 1970 (Unix Epoch). JavaScript and many other languages use milliseconds instead:
Human Perception
| Duration | Human Perception |
|---|---|
| 1-10 ms | Imperceptible |
| 10-50 ms | Feels instantaneous |
| 50-100 ms | Noticeable but acceptable |
| 100-300 ms | Slightly sluggish |
| 300-1000 ms | Noticeably delayed |
| > 1000 ms | User loses focus/flow |
Performance Guidelines
For web applications: aim for <100ms response time for user interactions, <1 second for page loads, and <16ms per frame for 60fps animations. Users generally notice delays greater than 100ms.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many milliseconds are in a second?
There are exactly 1,000 milliseconds in one second. To convert seconds to milliseconds, multiply by 1,000. To convert milliseconds to seconds, divide by 1,000. For example, 5 seconds = 5,000 ms.
What is a Unix timestamp in milliseconds?
A Unix timestamp counts time since January 1, 1970 (the Unix Epoch). While traditional Unix timestamps use seconds, JavaScript and many APIs use milliseconds. The current time in ms is typically a 13-digit number like 1704067200000.
Why do programmers use milliseconds instead of seconds?
Milliseconds provide finer precision for animations, performance measurements, and timing operations. Most programming languages (JavaScript, Java, Python) use milliseconds for timing functions, making it easier to work with sub-second intervals without decimals.
How long is a millisecond in human perception?
A single millisecond is imperceptible to humans. We typically notice delays around 100ms. A blink takes 300-400ms. For smooth animations, each frame should render in under 16ms (60 frames per second). Response times under 100ms feel instant.