Time Duration Calculator
Work out how much time passed between a start time and an end time, minus any unpaid break. You get the answer in hours and minutes, decimal hours for payroll, and total minutes.
How to calculate the duration between two times
- Convert both times to the 24-hour clock. 5:30 PM becomes 17:30.
- Convert each to minutes since midnight: 9:00 = 540 minutes, 17:30 = 1,050 minutes.
- Subtract the start from the end: 1,050 − 540 = 510 minutes.
- Subtract the break, then divide by 60: (510 − 30) ÷ 60 = 8 hours.
Shifts that cross midnight
When the end time is earlier than the start time, the shift runs overnight. Add 24 hours to the end time before subtracting — a shift from 22:00 to 06:00 is 8 hours, not −16. The calculator above does this automatically.
Hours and minutes vs decimal hours
Payroll systems expect decimal hours, not hours and minutes. 8 hours 30 minutes is 8.5 decimal hours, not 8.30. If you need to convert a set of times, use the hours and minutes to decimal hours calculator. For a full week of shifts, the time card calculator totals every day at once.
Common shift durations
- 9:00 to 17:00 with a 30-minute break = 7h 30m (7.5 hours)
- 8:00 to 16:30 with a 30-minute break = 8h 0m (8.0 hours)
- 22:00 to 06:00 with a 45-minute break = 7h 15m (7.25 hours)
Time duration calculation FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Use the hours to minutes conversion formula: minutes = hours × 60. Example: 2 hours × 60 = 120 minutes.
Formula: minutes = hours × 60. For hour:minute (HH:MM), total minutes = (HH × 60) + MM.
1.5 hours × 60 = 90 minutes.
(2 × 60) + 30 = 120 + 30 = 150 minutes.
Multiply hours (hr) by 60. Example: 0.75 hr × 60 = 45 min.
No. 'hr' (singular) and 'hrs' (plural) both convert using the same rule: minutes = hours × 60.
Sum all hours, convert fractional hours to minutes (hours × 60), add minutes, then apply any rounding rules required by payroll.
Split hours and minutes. Total minutes = (hours × 60) + minutes. Example: 7:45 → (7 × 60) + 45 = 465 minutes.
An hours minutes converter changes hours to minutes and back. Enter hours (or HH:MM) and it returns total minutes instantly.
If hours are in A2, minutes = A2*60. If time is HH:MM in A2 (as time), use =HOUR(A2)*60 + MINUTE(A2).
Replace h with ×60. Example: (3.2 h) → 3.2 × 60 = 192 min.
Total minutes = (hours × 60) + minutes + (seconds ÷ 60). Example: 1:10:30 → 60 + 10 + 0.5 = 70.5 minutes.
Hour‑minute conversion translates between time units using 1 hour = 60 minutes so calculations are consistent.
First convert to minutes (hours × 60), then to decimal hours by dividing by 60 if needed. Example: 1:30 → 90 min → 1.5 h.
Yes. Divide minutes by 60 to get hours. Example: 135 minutes ÷ 60 = 2.25 hours (2 hours 15 minutes).
0.1 hours × 60 = 6 minutes. Common in 6‑minute rounding for timesheets.
7.5 × 60 = 450 minutes.
Convert to minutes, then round to your rule (nearest 1, 5, 6, 7.5, 10, 15, or 30 minutes) before converting back if needed.