Date & Time
MINUTE Function in Excel
Returns the minute of a time value as a number from 0 to 59.
Syntax
- =MINUTE(serial_number)
Arguments
- serial_number (required): Time value
Examples
- =MINUTE("3:45 PM") - Extract minute - Result: 45
Excel MINUTE function documentation
- MINUTE returns the minutes portion (0–59) of an Excel time or datetime serial.
- Syntax: =MINUTE(serial_number). Pairs with [HOUR](/functions/hour/) and [SECOND](/functions/second/) for full time breakdown.
- Common in scheduling, SLA timers, and duration checks at minute precision.
- Related: [TIME](/functions/time/), [NOW](/functions/now/), [DATEDIF](/functions/datedif/).
MINUTE syntax and errors
- serial_number must be a valid time/datetime — not arbitrary text.
- Fractional minutes are truncated toward zero — 14:45:30 still returns 45 for MINUTE.
- Combine HOUR and MINUTE: =HOUR(A2)*60+MINUTE(A2) for total minutes since midnight.
- #VALUE! when argument is non-numeric time text without coercion.
Step-by-step: round timestamps to 15-minute buckets
- Step 1 — Event time in A2.
- Step 2 — Total minutes: =HOUR(A2)*60+MINUTE(A2).
- Step 3 — Bucket: =FLOOR(HOUR(A2)*60+MINUTE(A2), 15).
- Step 4 — Label bucket with [TEXT](/functions/text/) for charts.
- Step 5 — For elapsed duration between two times subtract end-start and multiply by 1440.
MINUTE vs duration subtraction
- MINUTE — component of a single timestamp.
- End-start — true duration in days; multiply by 24*60 for minutes elapsed.
- Use MINUTE when rules depend on clock time, not elapsed interval.
- See [TIME function](/functions/time/) to build times from parts.
Worked examples to copy
- Minutes only: =MINUTE("09:07 AM").
- Meeting starts at :00 or :30: =IF(MINUTE(A2)<30,0,30).
- Total minutes today: =HOUR(NOW())*60+MINUTE(NOW()).
- Late if after 9:15: =IF(HOUR(A2)*60+MINUTE(A2)>9*60+15,"Late","OK").
People also ask
- MINUTE range? — Always 0 through 59.
- MINUTE on NOW()? — Yes; updates when workbook recalculates.
- Extract minutes from duration? — Subtract two times, then use MINUTE on result or multiply by 1440.
- MINUTE with seconds? — Seconds do not change MINUTE result until minute rolls over.
Common errors
- None common
Use cases
- Time breakdown
- Duration calculations
- Scheduling
Frequently asked questions
- What is the MINUTE function in Excel? MINUTE extracts the minute component from a time or datetime value, returning a number from 0 to 59. It's useful for time analysis, scheduling, and breaking down timestamps into components.
- How do I calculate total minutes from a time value? To convert time to total minutes: =HOUR(A1)*60 + MINUTE(A1). For a duration like 2:30, this returns 150 minutes. For time differences, use =(B1-A1)*1440 where 1440 is minutes per day.
- How do I round time to the nearest 15 minutes? Use =MROUND(A1, "0:15") to round to nearest 15 minutes. For rounding up: =CEILING(A1, "0:15"). For rounding down: =FLOOR(A1, "0:15"). These are useful for timesheet calculations.
Editorial review
- Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.
When to use MINUTE
- Time breakdown — common Date & Time scenario for MINUTE.
- Duration calculations — common Date & Time scenario for MINUTE.
- Scheduling — common Date & Time scenario for MINUTE.
MINUTE in the Date & Time category
- Browse all Date & Time functions at /categories/date-time/ for related formulas.
- MINUTE syntax: =MINUTE(serial_number)
- serial_number (required): Time value
- Confirm MINUTE arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
- Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.
Formula checklist before you copy down
- Confirm MINUTE arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
- Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.
- If results look wrong, check for text stored as numbers and invisible spaces with TRIM.
- Spot-check three known input rows manually against expected output.
Related Excel functions
- HOUR (/functions/hour/): Returns the hour of a time value as a number from 0 to 23.
- SECOND (/functions/second/): Returns the second of a time value as a number from 0 to 59.
- TIME (/functions/time/): Returns the decimal number for a particular time.
Errors to watch for
- None common — review causes on linked error pages in the directory.
Copy-paste audit workflow
- Enter MINUTE on three test rows with known expected output documented on a QA tab.
- Fill down only after absolute references are locked on lookup tables and rate tables.
- Compare against manual calculation or a calculator for financial and statistical functions.
- Search this directory for comparison guides when choosing between similar functions in the same category.
MINUTE worked examples to copy
- =MINUTE("3:45 PM") — Extract minute. Expected result: 45.
MINUTE reference summary for crawlers and offline review
- MINUTE belongs to the Date & Time category in Excel. Returns the minute of a time value as a number from 0 to 59.
- Full syntax: =MINUTE(serial_number). Open /functions/minute/ for parameters, FAQs, and related pages.
- Common mistakes: None common
- Pair this function with comparison guides when another Excel formula might fit the same task better.
- Review fix-excel-formula-errors when unexpected errors appear after upgrading Excel or sharing across locales.