Date.prototype.toISOString()

The toISOString() method returns a string in simplified extended ISO format (ISO 8601), which is always 24 or 27 characters long (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss.sssZ or ±YYYYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss.sssZ, respectively). The timezone is always zero UTC offset, as denoted by the suffix "Z".

Syntax

dateObj.toISOString()

Return value

A string representing the given date in the ISO 8601 format according to universal time.

Examples

Using toISOString()

var today = new Date('05 October 2011 14:48 UTC');
console.log(today.toISOString()); // Returns 2011-10-05T14:48:00.000Z

The above example uses parsing of a non–standard string value that may not be correctly parsed in non–Mozilla browsers.

Polyfill

This method was standardized in ECMA-262 5th edition. Engines which have not been updated to support this method can work around the absence of this method using the following shim:

if (!Date.prototype.toISOString) {
  (function() {
    function pad(number) {
      if (number < 10) {
        return '0' + number;
      }
      return number;
    }
    Date.prototype.toISOString = function() {
      return this.getUTCFullYear() +
        '-' + pad(this.getUTCMonth() + 1) +
        '-' + pad(this.getUTCDate()) +
        'T' + pad(this.getUTCHours()) +
        ':' + pad(this.getUTCMinutes()) +
        ':' + pad(this.getUTCSeconds()) +
        '.' + (this.getUTCMilliseconds() / 1000).toFixed(3).slice(2, 5) +
        'Z';
    };
  }());
}

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
ECMAScript 5.1 (ECMA-262)
The definition of 'Date.prototype.toISOString' in that specification.
Standard Initial definition. Implemented in JavaScript 1.8.
ECMAScript 2015 (6th Edition, ECMA-262)
The definition of 'Date.prototype.toISOString' in that specification.
Standard  
ECMAScript Latest Draft (ECMA-262)
The definition of 'Date.prototype.toISOString' in that specification.
Draft  

Browser compatibility

FeatureChromeFirefoxEdgeInternet ExplorerOperaSafari
Basic Support(Yes)(Yes)(Yes)9(Yes)(Yes)
FeatureAndroidChrome for AndroidEdge mobileFirefox for AndroidIE mobileOpera AndroidiOS Safari
Basic Support(Yes)(Yes)(Yes)(Yes)(Yes)(Yes)(Yes)

See also

Document Tags and Contributors

 Last updated by: fscholz,