Date & Time

TIME Function in Excel

Returns the decimal number for a particular time.

Syntax

  • =TIME(hour, minute, second)

Arguments

  • hour (required): Hour (0-23)
  • minute (required): Minute (0-59)
  • second (required): Second (0-59)

Examples

  • =TIME(12, 30, 0) - 12:30 PM - Result: 0.520833...
  • =TIME(9, 0, 0) - 9:00 AM - Result: 0.375

Excel TIME function documentation

  • TIME builds an Excel time serial from hour, minute, and second components.
  • Syntax: =TIME(hour, minute, [second]). Returns fraction of 24-hour day.
  • Use to construct shift start/end, schedule slots, and combine with dates.
  • Related: [HOUR](/functions/hour/), [MINUTE](/functions/minute/), [TIMEVALUE](/functions/timevalue/), [NOW](/functions/now/).

TIME syntax and rollover

  • hour: 0–32767 — values ≥24 roll into days (TIME(25,0,0) = 1:00 AM next day fraction).
  • minute and second: 0–59 normally; overflow rolls into hours.
  • Format result cell as Time to display hh:mm:ss.
  • TIME ignores date — add [DATE](/functions/date/) for full datetime.

Step-by-step: shift schedule times

  • Step 1 — Start hour 9, minute 0 in helper cells E1, F1.
  • Step 2 — Shift start: =TIME(E1, F1, 0).
  • Step 3 — End shift 8 hours: =TIME(E1, F1, 0)+TIME(8,0,0) or =start+8/24.
  • Step 4 — Duration math uses decimal days — multiply by 24 for hours.
  • Step 5 — Display with TEXT(time, "hh:mm AM/PM").

TIME vs TIMEVALUE vs typing times

  • TIME — from numeric components; locale-independent.
  • TIMEVALUE — parse text time string.
  • Typing 9:00 AM — locale-dependent interpretation.
  • Category: [Date & Time](/categories/date-time/).

Worked examples to copy

  • 9 AM: =TIME(9,0,0).
  • From cells: =TIME(A2, B2, C2).
  • Noon: =TIME(12,0,0).
  • Datetime: =A2+TIME(14,30,0) when A2 is date serial.

People also ask

  • TIME #VALUE!? — Non-numeric hour/minute arguments.
  • TIME over 24 hours? — Rolls; may show next calendar day in datetime combo.
  • TIME vs decimal hours? — 0.5 = 12:00 when formatted as time.
  • TIME Google Sheets? — Same TIME(hour, minute, second) pattern.

Common errors

  • Values wrap (e.g., 25 hours = 1 hour)

Use cases

  • Create time values
  • Time calculations
  • Scheduling

Frequently asked questions

  • How do I add hours and minutes to a time? Add TIME values: =A1 + TIME(2, 30, 0) adds 2 hours 30 minutes to the time in A1. Or add fractions: +2/24 adds 2 hours, +30/1440 adds 30 minutes. TIME handles overflow (e.g., 90 minutes becomes 1 hour 30 minutes).
  • Why does TIME(25, 0, 0) not give an error? TIME wraps values that exceed normal ranges. TIME(25, 0, 0) = TIME(1, 0, 0) because 25 hours wraps to 1 hour. Similarly, TIME(0, 90, 0) = TIME(1, 30, 0). This is useful for calculations but can hide input errors.
  • How do I create a datetime from separate date and time? Simply add them: =DATE(2024, 1, 15) + TIME(14, 30, 0) creates January 15, 2024 at 2:30 PM. Dates are whole numbers, times are decimals, so adding them gives a complete datetime value.

Editorial review

  • Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.

When to use TIME

  • Create time values — common Date & Time scenario for TIME.
  • Time calculations — common Date & Time scenario for TIME.
  • Scheduling — common Date & Time scenario for TIME.

TIME in the Date & Time category

  • Browse all Date & Time functions at /categories/date-time/ for related formulas.
  • TIME syntax: =TIME(hour, minute, second)
  • hour (required): Hour (0-23)
  • minute (required): Minute (0-59)
  • second (required): Second (0-59)
  • Confirm TIME 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 TIME 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.
  • MINUTE (/functions/minute/): Returns the minute of a time value as a number from 0 to 59.
  • SECOND (/functions/second/): Returns the second of a time value as a number from 0 to 59.
  • DATE (/functions/date/): Creates a date from year, month, and day components.

Errors to watch for

  • Values wrap (e.g., 25 hours = 1 hour) — review causes on linked error pages in the directory.

Copy-paste audit workflow

  • Enter TIME 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.

TIME worked examples to copy

  • =TIME(12, 30, 0) — 12:30 PM. Expected result: 0.520833....
  • =TIME(9, 0, 0) — 9:00 AM. Expected result: 0.375.

TIME reference summary for crawlers and offline review

  • TIME belongs to the Date & Time category in Excel. Returns the decimal number for a particular time.
  • Full syntax: =TIME(hour, minute, second). Open /functions/time/ for parameters, FAQs, and related pages.
  • Common mistakes: Values wrap (e.g., 25 hours = 1 hour)
  • 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.