DateTime.UtcNow Property

Reference

Definition

Namespace:: System

Assembly:: System.Runtime.dll

Assembly:: mscorlib.dll

Assembly:: netstandard.dll

Source:: DateTime.Unix.cs

Source:: DateTime.Unix.cs

Source:: DateTime.Unix.cs

Important

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Gets a DateTime object that is set to the current date and time on this computer, expressed as the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

public:
 static property DateTime UtcNow { DateTime get(); };

public static DateTime UtcNow { get; }

static member UtcNow : DateTime

Public Shared ReadOnly Property UtcNow As DateTime

Property Value

DateTime

An object whose value is the current UTC date and time.

Examples

The following example uses the SpecifyKind method to demonstrate how the Kind property influences the ToLocalTime and ToUniversalTime conversion methods.

// This code example demonstrates the DateTime Kind, Now, and
// UtcNow properties, and the SpecifyKind(), ToLocalTime(),
// and ToUniversalTime() methods.

open System

// Display the value and Kind property of a DateTime structure, the
// DateTime structure converted to local time, and the DateTime
// structure converted to universal time.

let datePatt = @"M/d/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt"

let display title (inputDt: DateTime) =
    // Display the original DateTime.

    let dispDt = inputDt
    let dtString = dispDt.ToString datePatt
    printfn $"%s{title} {dtString}, Kind = {dispDt.Kind}"

    // Convert inputDt to local time and display the result.
    // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Utc, the conversion is performed.
    // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Local, the conversion is not performed.
    // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Unspecified, the conversion is
    // performed as if inputDt was universal time.

    let dispDt = inputDt.ToLocalTime()
    let dtString = dispDt.ToString datePatt
    printfn $"  ToLocalTime:     {dtString}, Kind = {dispDt.Kind}"

    // Convert inputDt to universal time and display the result.
    // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Utc, the conversion is not performed.
    // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Local, the conversion is performed.
    // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Unspecified, the conversion is
    // performed as if inputDt was local time.

    let dispDt = inputDt.ToUniversalTime()
    let dtString = dispDt.ToString datePatt
    printfn $"  ToUniversalTime: {dtString}, Kind = {dispDt.Kind}\n" 

    // Display the value and Kind property for DateTime.Now and DateTime.UtcNow.

let displayNow title (inputDt: DateTime) =
    let dtString = inputDt.ToString datePatt
    printfn $"%s{title} {dtString}, Kind = {inputDt.Kind}"

[<EntryPoint>]
let main _ =

    // Get the date and time for the current moment, adjusted
    // to the local time zone.

    let saveNow = DateTime.Now

    // Get the date and time for the current moment expressed
    // as coordinated universal time (UTC).

    let saveUtcNow = DateTime.UtcNow

    // Display the value and Kind property of the current moment
    // expressed as UTC and local time.

    displayNow "UtcNow: .........." saveUtcNow
    displayNow "Now: ............." saveNow
    printfn ""

    // Change the Kind property of the current moment to
    // DateTimeKind.Utc and display the result.

    let myDt = DateTime.SpecifyKind(saveNow, DateTimeKind.Utc)
    display "Utc: ............." myDt

    // Change the Kind property of the current moment to
    // DateTimeKind.Local and display the result.

    let myDt = DateTime.SpecifyKind(saveNow, DateTimeKind.Local)
    display "Local: ..........." myDt

    // Change the Kind property of the current moment to
    // DateTimeKind.Unspecified and display the result.

    let myDt = DateTime.SpecifyKind(saveNow, DateTimeKind.Unspecified)
    display "Unspecified: ....." myDt

    0


// This code example produces the following results:
//
// UtcNow: .......... 5/6/2005 09:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
// Now: ............. 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Local
//
// Utc: ............. 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
//   ToLocalTime:     5/6/2005 07:34:42 AM, Kind = Local
//   ToUniversalTime: 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
//
// Local: ........... 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Local
//   ToLocalTime:     5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Local
//   ToUniversalTime: 5/6/2005 09:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
//
// Unspecified: ..... 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Unspecified
//   ToLocalTime:     5/6/2005 07:34:42 AM, Kind = Local
//   ToUniversalTime: 5/6/2005 09:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc

// This code example demonstrates the DateTime Kind, Now, and
// UtcNow properties, and the SpecifyKind(), ToLocalTime(),
// and ToUniversalTime() methods.

using System;

class Sample
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        // Get the date and time for the current moment, adjusted
        // to the local time zone.

        DateTime saveNow = DateTime.Now;

        // Get the date and time for the current moment expressed
        // as coordinated universal time (UTC).

        DateTime saveUtcNow = DateTime.UtcNow;
        DateTime myDt;

        // Display the value and Kind property of the current moment
        // expressed as UTC and local time.

        DisplayNow("UtcNow: ..........", saveUtcNow);
        DisplayNow("Now: .............", saveNow);
        Console.WriteLine();

        // Change the Kind property of the current moment to
        // DateTimeKind.Utc and display the result.

        myDt = DateTime.SpecifyKind(saveNow, DateTimeKind.Utc);
        Display("Utc: .............", myDt);

        // Change the Kind property of the current moment to
        // DateTimeKind.Local and display the result.

        myDt = DateTime.SpecifyKind(saveNow, DateTimeKind.Local);
        Display("Local: ...........", myDt);

        // Change the Kind property of the current moment to
        // DateTimeKind.Unspecified and display the result.

        myDt = DateTime.SpecifyKind(saveNow, DateTimeKind.Unspecified);
        Display("Unspecified: .....", myDt);
    }

    // Display the value and Kind property of a DateTime structure, the
    // DateTime structure converted to local time, and the DateTime
    // structure converted to universal time.

    public static string datePatt = @"M/d/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt";
    public static void Display(string title, DateTime inputDt)
    {
        DateTime dispDt = inputDt;
        string dtString;

        // Display the original DateTime.

        dtString = dispDt.ToString(datePatt);
        Console.WriteLine("{0} {1}, Kind = {2}",
                          title, dtString, dispDt.Kind);

        // Convert inputDt to local time and display the result.
        // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Utc, the conversion is performed.
        // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Local, the conversion is not performed.
        // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Unspecified, the conversion is
        // performed as if inputDt was universal time.

        dispDt = inputDt.ToLocalTime();
        dtString = dispDt.ToString(datePatt);
        Console.WriteLine("  ToLocalTime:     {0}, Kind = {1}",
                          dtString, dispDt.Kind);

        // Convert inputDt to universal time and display the result.
        // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Utc, the conversion is not performed.
        // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Local, the conversion is performed.
        // If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Unspecified, the conversion is
        // performed as if inputDt was local time.

        dispDt = inputDt.ToUniversalTime();
        dtString = dispDt.ToString(datePatt);
        Console.WriteLine("  ToUniversalTime: {0}, Kind = {1}",
                          dtString, dispDt.Kind);
        Console.WriteLine();
    }

    // Display the value and Kind property for DateTime.Now and DateTime.UtcNow.

    public static void DisplayNow(string title, DateTime inputDt)
    {
        string dtString = inputDt.ToString(datePatt);
        Console.WriteLine("{0} {1}, Kind = {2}",
                          title, dtString, inputDt.Kind);
    }
}

/*
This code example produces the following results:

UtcNow: .......... 5/6/2005 09:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
Now: ............. 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Local

Utc: ............. 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
  ToLocalTime:     5/6/2005 07:34:42 AM, Kind = Local
  ToUniversalTime: 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc

Local: ........... 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Local
  ToLocalTime:     5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Local
  ToUniversalTime: 5/6/2005 09:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc

Unspecified: ..... 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Unspecified
  ToLocalTime:     5/6/2005 07:34:42 AM, Kind = Local
  ToUniversalTime: 5/6/2005 09:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc

*/


' This code example demonstrates the DateTime Kind, Now, and
' UtcNow properties, and the SpecifyKind(), ToLocalTime(), 
' and ToUniversalTime() methods.
Class Sample
    Public Shared Sub Main() 
        ' Get the date and time for the current moment, adjusted 
        ' to the local time zone.
        Dim saveNow As DateTime = DateTime.Now
        
        ' Get the date and time for the current moment expressed 
        ' as coordinated universal time (UTC).
        Dim saveUtcNow As DateTime = DateTime.UtcNow
        Dim myDt As DateTime
        
        ' Display the value and Kind property of the current moment 
        ' expressed as UTC and local time.
        DisplayNow("UtcNow: ..........", saveUtcNow)
        DisplayNow("Now: .............", saveNow)
        Console.WriteLine()
        
        ' Change the Kind property of the current moment to 
        ' DateTimeKind.Utc and display the result.
        myDt = DateTime.SpecifyKind(saveNow, DateTimeKind.Utc)
        Display("Utc: .............", myDt)
        
        ' Change the Kind property of the current moment to 
        ' DateTimeKind.Local and display the result.
        myDt = DateTime.SpecifyKind(saveNow, DateTimeKind.Local)
        Display("Local: ...........", myDt)
        
        ' Change the Kind property of the current moment to 
        ' DateTimeKind.Unspecified and display the result.
        myDt = DateTime.SpecifyKind(saveNow, DateTimeKind.Unspecified)
        Display("Unspecified: .....", myDt)
    End Sub
    
    ' Display the value and Kind property of a DateTime structure, the 
    ' DateTime structure converted to local time, and the DateTime 
    ' structure converted to universal time. 

    Public Shared datePatt As String = "M/d/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt"
    
    Public Shared Sub Display(ByVal title As String, ByVal inputDt As DateTime) 
        Dim dispDt As DateTime = inputDt
        Dim dtString As String
        
        ' Display the original DateTime.
        dtString = dispDt.ToString(datePatt)
        Console.WriteLine("{0} {1}, Kind = {2}", title, dtString, dispDt.Kind)
        
        ' Convert inputDt to local time and display the result. 
        ' If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Utc, the conversion is performed.
        ' If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Local, the conversion is not performed.
        ' If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Unspecified, the conversion is 
        ' performed as if inputDt was universal time.
        dispDt = inputDt.ToLocalTime()
        dtString = dispDt.ToString(datePatt)
        Console.WriteLine("  ToLocalTime:     {0}, Kind = {1}", dtString, dispDt.Kind)
        
        ' Convert inputDt to universal time and display the result. 
        ' If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Utc, the conversion is not performed.
        ' If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Local, the conversion is performed.
        ' If inputDt.Kind is DateTimeKind.Unspecified, the conversion is 
        ' performed as if inputDt was local time.
        dispDt = inputDt.ToUniversalTime()
        dtString = dispDt.ToString(datePatt)
        Console.WriteLine("  ToUniversalTime: {0}, Kind = {1}", dtString, dispDt.Kind)
        Console.WriteLine()
    End Sub
    
    
    ' Display the value and Kind property for DateTime.Now and DateTime.UtcNow.

    Public Shared Sub DisplayNow(ByVal title As String, ByVal inputDt As DateTime) 
        Dim dtString As String = inputDt.ToString(datePatt)
        Console.WriteLine("{0} {1}, Kind = {2}", title, dtString, inputDt.Kind)
    End Sub
End Class

'
'This code example produces the following results:
'
'UtcNow: .......... 5/6/2005 09:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
'Now: ............. 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Local
'
'Utc: ............. 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
'  ToLocalTime:     5/6/2005 07:34:42 AM, Kind = Local
'  ToUniversalTime: 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
'
'Local: ........... 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Local
'  ToLocalTime:     5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Local
'  ToUniversalTime: 5/6/2005 09:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
'
'Unspecified: ..... 5/6/2005 02:34:42 PM, Kind = Unspecified
'  ToLocalTime:     5/6/2005 07:34:42 AM, Kind = Local
'  ToUniversalTime: 5/6/2005 09:34:42 PM, Kind = Utc
'

Remarks

The resolution of this property depends on the system timer, which depends on the underlying operating system. It tends to be between 0.5 and 15 milliseconds.

Starting with the .NET Framework version 2.0, the return value is a DateTime whose Kind property returns DateTimeKind.Utc.

An alternative to using UtcNow is DateTimeOffset.UtcNow. While the former indicates that a date and time value is Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) by assigning DateTimeKind.Utc to its Kind property, the latter assigns the date and time value the UTC time's offset (equal to TimeSpan.Zero).

Applies to

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