Time to Live (TTL) Calculator

Convert Time to Live (TTL) values between raw seconds and human-readable duration. Built for DNS records, with quick presets for sysadmins and DevOps teams.

Raw Seconds

The raw TTL value in seconds as used in DNS records.

Quick Presets

Human Readable

TTL Expiry

Expires at

8/6/2026, 10:32:00 PM

Time remaining

59 minutes and 24 seconds

TTL Value

3,600

seconds

= 1 hour
0
Days
1
Hours
0
Minutes
0
Seconds

Common TTL Values

Documentation

How It Works

Time to Live (TTL) is a duration in seconds that controls how long cached data remains valid. In DNS, TTL tells resolvers how long to cache a record before requesting a fresh copy. This tool converts between raw seconds and human-readable time for easy configuration.

Lower TTLs (300s) mean faster DNS propagation but more queries to your nameservers. Higher TTLs (86400s) reduce load but slow down changes.

Best Practices

Before migration: Lower TTL to 300s, 24-48h ahead
After migration: Raise TTL back to 3600s or higher
CDN records: Often require low TTLs (60-300s)
MX records: Use 3600s+ for mail stability

Last Updated: August 2026

Frequently Asked Questions
How to Use

About the Time to Live (TTL) Calculator

What it calculates

Converts Time to Live (TTL) values between raw seconds and human-readable duration (days, hours, minutes, seconds). Also calculates when a TTL expires from a given start time.

When to use it

Use when configuring DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT), planning migrations, or verifying cache durations. DNS providers require TTL in seconds — this tool eliminates conversion errors.

Example

A TTL of 86400 seconds equals 1 day. Lower it to 300 seconds (5 minutes) 24–48 hours before a DNS migration for faster propagation.

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