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title: "TIME function in Excel: syntax and examples | PracticeExcel"
description: "How to use TIME in Excel and Google Sheets: build times from hours and minutes, add minutes to a start time and format the result."
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> Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://practiceexcelonline.com/llms.txt)

# **The TIME function**

Builds a time from an hour, a minute and a second. The result is a fraction of a day, so TIME(12,0,0) is 0.5.

=

TIME(

## **Syntax**

```
TIME(hour, minute, second)
```

<dl><dt>**hour **</dt>
<dd>The hour, 0 to 23. Larger numbers wrap around the day.</dd>
<dt>**minute **</dt>
<dd>The minute. 60 or more carries over into hours.</dd>
<dt>**second **</dt>
<dd>The second. 60 or more carries over into minutes.</dd></dl>

## **Examples**

B1=TEXT(TIME(14,30,0),"h:mm AM/PM")

|  | A | B |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 |  | **2:30 PM** |

B1`=TIME(<sup>1</sup>12,<sup>2</sup>0,<sup>3</sup>0)`

|  | A | B |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 |  | **0.5** |

**In plain words:** The time <sup>1</sup>12 hours, <sup>2</sup>0 minutes and <sup>3</sup>0 seconds into the day.

B1=TEXT(TIME(8,0,0)+TIME(0,450,0),"h:mm")

|  | A | B |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 |  | **15:30** |

## **Questions**

<details>

<summary>

### Why does my time show as a decimal number?

</summary>

Times are fractions of a day, so 12:00 PM is 0.5. Format the cell as a time (Ctrl+1 &gt; Time) to see it as a clock time.

</details>

<details>

<summary>

### How do I add hours or minutes to a time?

</summary>

Add a TIME to it, as in =A2+TIME(3,0,0) for three hours later or =A2+TIME(0,45,0) for 45 minutes.

</details>

## **Related functions**

- [**HOUR**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/hour)
- [**NOW**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/now)
- [**DATE**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/date)
- [**TEXT**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/text)

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