You'll see something like: “in 2 hours” or “5 minutes ago”

Okay, this one is my favorite. The Relative Time flag doesn't just show a date—it creates a living, breathing countdown right in your chat. If your raid starts in two hours, people see "in 2 hours." After it starts, it changes to "2 hours ago." It's dynamic, it's exciting, and it builds hype without anyone doing math. Perfect for game nights, stream starts, giveaway deadlines—anything where you want people watching the clock.

👋 Real talk: Use this when you want your community to feel the anticipation. It's like a hype man for your events.

You'll see something like: 4:00 PM

Sometimes you just need the time, you know? No date, no fluff—just the hour and minute. That's what Short Time gives you. It's clean, it's minimal, and it's perfect for daily recurring stuff. Like if your server does a "daily reset" at the same time every day, or you have office hours, or you just want to say "lunch break at 12:30." It gets the point across without extra noise.

👋 Real talk: Pair this with a separate date if needed. But for everyday rhythms, this is your go-to.

You'll see something like: 4:00:00 PM

Alright, this one's for the perfectionists. Long Time shows hours, minutes, AND seconds. Why would you need that? Maybe you're hosting a speedrunning event where every second counts. Maybe you're announcing a limited-time code drop that expires exactly at 4:00:01. Or maybe you just like being precise. Whatever the reason, this flag says "I pay attention to details."

👋 Real talk: Most people don't need this. But when you do, you'll be glad it exists.

You'll see something like: 07/11/2024

Numbers only. No words. That's the Short Date format. It's compact, it's universal, and it takes up almost no space in your chat. Use this when you're marking a specific day but the time isn't important—like a birthday, a patch release date, or a historical event. It's also great for tables or lists where you want to keep things tidy.

👋 Real talk: Because it's purely numerical, it works across languages. No translation needed.

You'll see something like: November 7, 2024

Now we're getting fancy. Long Date spells everything out—month and day in full. It feels warm, formal, and intentional. Use this for server anniversaries, holiday events, milestone celebrations—anything that deserves a little elegance. It tells your community, "This date matters, and I wanted to present it nicely."

👋 Real talk: Drop this in your welcome channel to mark the server's creation date. It adds a touch of class.

You'll see something like: November 7, 2024 4:00 PM

Meet the workhorse. The Short Date/Time format (flag `f`) is Discord's default for a reason: it gives you the best of both worlds. A clean, written date plus the time. It's friendly, it's complete, and it works for almost everything. Game nights? Yes. Community meetings? Yes. Deadlines? Absolutely. When you're not sure which flag to pick, pick this one.

👋 Real talk: 90% of the time, this is all you'll ever need. It's the vanilla latte of timestamps—reliable and everyone likes it.

You'll see something like: Thursday, November 7, 2024 4:00 PM

This is the "no questions asked" format. Long Date/Time includes the day of the week, the full date, and the time. It leaves absolutely nothing to interpretation. Use this for major announcements—weddings, international events, multi-day tournaments, anything where you want zero confusion. When people see the weekday, they immediately know where it fits in their schedule.

👋 Real talk: If your event is more than a week away, this is your friend. The weekday helps people plan ahead without checking a calendar.

A Few Friendly Tips

I've been using Discord timestamps for years, and here are some things I wish I'd known sooner:

• Use `R` for hype: Nothing builds excitement like a live countdown.
• Use `F` for formality: The day of the week prevents "wait, what day was that?"
• Test in private: Paste your code in a DM first to make sure it looks right.
• Bold text helps: **Movie Night:** <t:1234567890:f> looks clean and professional.
• Bookmark this page: Seriously. You'll come back every time you schedule something.

📌 Why Bother With Different Formats?

Honestly? Because it changes how people respond. A relative countdown makes people feel urgency—they know the event is coming soon. A full date with the weekday feels official and important. A simple time feels casual and low-pressure. By matching the format to your message, you're not just sharing info—you're setting the mood. Your community will pick up on it, even if they don't realize why.

The generator at the top lets you preview each format instantly. Play around with them. See what feels right. You'll develop a gut feeling for it over time.

🌍 The Magic of Time Zones

Here's the coolest part: no matter which flag you pick, every single person sees the time converted to their own zone. Someone in London sees GMT. Someone in LA sees Pacific Time. Someone in Tokyo sees JST. All from the same code. That's why timestamps are so much better than typing "8 PM EST." You write it once, Discord handles the rest, and nobody has to do mental math.

Quick note: The generator uses YOUR local time. Just pick the date and time as you intend it, and the tool handles the conversion behind the scenes.

🎯 Ready to try these out?

The generator at the top of this page lets you create any of these seven formats in seconds. Pick your date, choose your vibe, and copy the code.