Using WordPress ‘get_gmt_from_date()’ PHP function

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The get_gmt_from_date() WordPress PHP function converts a given date in the site’s timezone to UTC.

Usage

get_gmt_from_date($date_string, $format = 'Y-m-d H:i:s');

Parameters

  • $date_string (string) – The date to be converted, in the timezone of the site.
  • $format (string) – Optional. The format string for the returned date. Default: ‘Y-m-d H:i:s’.

More information

See WordPress Developer Resources: get_gmt_from_date()

The inverse of this function is get_date_from_gmt(): https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_date_from_gmt/

Examples

Convert a date to UTC

Converts a date in the site’s timezone to UTC using the default format.

// Set a date in the site's timezone.
$date_string = '2023-05-08 14:30:00';

// Convert the date to UTC.
$utc_date = get_gmt_from_date($date_string);

// Output the UTC date.
echo $utc_date; // Example output: '2023-05-08 12:30:00'

Convert a date to UTC with a custom format

Converts a date in the site’s timezone to UTC using a custom format.

// Set a date in the site's timezone.
$date_string = '2023-05-08 14:30:00';

// Set a custom format.
$format = 'Y-m-d H:i';

// Convert the date to UTC using the custom format.
$utc_date = get_gmt_from_date($date_string, $format);

// Output the UTC date.
echo $utc_date; // Example output: '2023-05-08 12:30'

Convert a date to UTC and display in human-readable format

Converts a date in the site’s timezone to UTC and display it in a human-readable format.

// Set a date in the site's timezone.
$date_string = '2023-05-08 14:30:00';

// Convert the date to UTC.
$utc_date = get_gmt_from_date($date_string);

// Format the UTC date in a human-readable format.
$human_readable_date = date('F j, Y, g:i a', strtotime($utc_date));

// Output the human-readable UTC date.
echo $human_readable_date; // Example output: 'May 8, 2023, 12:30 pm'

Display the current date and time in UTC

Displays the current date and time in UTC.

// Get the current date and time in the site's timezone.
$date_string = current_time('mysql');

// Convert the date to UTC.
$utc_date = get_gmt_from_date($date_string);

// Output the current date and time in UTC.
echo $utc_date; // Example output: '2023-05-08 12:30:00'