Time Duration Calculator
Enter a start and an end and see the duration in days, hours and minutes, plus total hours, minutes and days, with an optional unpaid break removed.
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Find the time between two moments, on the same day or across several days. Subtract a break if you need to.
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How to calculate the time between two times
To find a duration, subtract the start from the end. Within one day that is simple: from 9:15 AM to 5:45 PM is 8 hours 30 minutes. It gets harder when the period crosses midnight or spans several days, because you need to carry days, hours and minutes. This calculator uses the full date and time of both points, so shifts that cross midnight and multi-day periods come out right.
Worked examples
| Start | End | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | 5:30 PM | 8 h 30 min |
| 10:00 PM | 6:00 AM (next day) | 8 h 00 min |
| Mon 8:00 AM | Wed 12:30 PM | 2 days 4 h 30 min |
| 7:45 AM | 12:10 PM | 4 h 25 min |
Hours and minutes to decimal hours
Divide the minutes by 60. 8 hours 30 minutes is 8.5 hours, and 4 hours 25 minutes is 4.42 hours. Decimal hours are what timesheets and invoices usually need.
Common uses
- Hours worked on a shift, with the unpaid lunch subtracted.
- Billing a client by the hour for a call or a project.
- Travel or flight time between departure and arrival, remembering that time zones are not converted here.
- How long an event, class or recording lasted.
The calculator does not adjust for time zones or daylight saving changes: it treats both times as local time in the same place. For a full week of shifts with pay, use the time card calculator.
How to use the time duration calculator
- Pick the start date and time and the end date and time.
- Enter any unpaid break in minutes to subtract it.
- Read the duration and the total in hours, minutes and days.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the time between two times?
Subtract the start time from the end time. If the end is earlier than the start, the period crosses midnight, so add 24 hours. This calculator does it automatically using dates and times.
How do I calculate hours between two times past midnight?
Enter the real end date. From 10:00 PM on the 14th to 6:00 AM on the 15th is 8 hours.
How do I convert the result to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60 and add the hours. 8 hours 30 minutes is 8.5 hours.
Can it subtract a lunch break?
Yes. Type the unpaid minutes in the break box and they are removed from the total.
Does it handle daylight saving time or time zones?
No. Both times are treated as local time in the same place. A period that spans a clock change may differ by one hour from real elapsed time.
Can I calculate more than 24 hours?
Yes. The result shows days, hours and minutes, plus total hours, minutes and days.
Related tools: Time card calculator · Date calculator · Days between dates