Hours Calculator – Calculate Hours Between Two Times
Use our Hours Calculator to quickly find the exact number of hours and minutes between two times. Enter your start time and end time, add any break time if needed, and the calculator will show your total duration in hours and minutes, decimal hours, and total minutes.
The calculator is useful for checking work shifts, timesheets, study sessions, project hours, appointments, travel time, or any situation where you need to know how much time has passed between two clock times.
It also handles overnight shifts, so a time period such as 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM can be calculated correctly without manual conversion.
How to Use the Hours Calculator
Enter the time when your shift, activity, or time period started and the time when it ended.
If you took an unpaid break, enter the break duration in minutes. The calculator subtracts that time from the total and displays your net hours.
For example:
Start time: 9:00 AM
End time: 5:30 PM
Break: 30 minutes
The total time between 9:00 AM and 5:30 PM is 8 hours 30 minutes.
After subtracting the 30-minute break:
8 hours 30 minutes − 30 minutes = 8 hours
Your final result is:
8 hours = 8.00 decimal hours = 480 minutes
This makes it easy to calculate hours without manually working with hours, minutes, AM, PM, or decimal conversions.
How to Calculate Hours Between Two Times
The basic formula for calculating time between two clock times is:
Time Duration = End Time − Start Time
If a break needs to be deducted:
Net Hours = End Time − Start Time − Break Time
For example, suppose you start at 8:15 AM and finish at 4:45 PM.
From 8:15 AM to 4:15 PM is 8 hours.
From 4:15 PM to 4:45 PM is another 30 minutes.
Therefore:
8:15 AM to 4:45 PM = 8 hours 30 minutes
In decimal hours:
8 hours 30 minutes = 8.50 hours
The Hours Calculator performs this calculation automatically.
Calculate Work Hours With Breaks
When calculating hours worked, you may need to subtract lunch or another unpaid break from the total shift duration.
For example:
Start: 8:30 AM
End: 5:00 PM
Unpaid break: 45 minutes
First calculate the full duration:
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM = 8 hours 30 minutes
Then subtract the break:
8 hours 30 minutes − 45 minutes = 7 hours 45 minutes
So the calculated working time is:
7 hours 45 minutes
In decimal format:
7.75 hours
The time before subtracting breaks is sometimes referred to as gross time, while the remaining time after eligible break deductions is the net time worked.
For payroll or employment records, only subtract breaks that should actually be excluded under your workplace rules or applicable requirements.
How to Calculate an Overnight Shift
Calculating hours becomes slightly more difficult when the end time falls after midnight.
For example:
Start: 10:00 PM
End: 6:00 AM
Because 6:00 AM occurs on the following day, you cannot simply subtract 10 from 6.
Instead:
10:00 PM to 12:00 AM = 2 hours
and:
12:00 AM to 6:00 AM = 6 hours
Therefore:
2 hours + 6 hours = 8 hours
The total duration is 8 hours.
Our Hours Calculator handles overnight periods automatically when the end time belongs to the following day.
This is especially useful for night shifts, security work, healthcare schedules, late study sessions, transportation, hospitality, and other activities that continue past midnight.
Hours and Minutes to Decimal Hours
Hours and minutes are not written the same way as decimal hours.
For example:
7 hours 30 minutes does not equal 7.30 decimal hours.
An hour contains 60 minutes, so 30 minutes represents half an hour:
30 ÷ 60 = 0.50
Therefore:
7 hours 30 minutes = 7.50 decimal hours
Use this formula to convert minutes to a decimal:
Decimal Portion = Minutes ÷ 60
Then add the result to the full hours.
For example:
6 hours 45 minutes
Convert 45 minutes:
45 ÷ 60 = 0.75
Then:
6 + 0.75 = 6.75 hours
Minutes to Decimal Hours Conversion
| Minutes | Decimal Hours |
| 5 minutes | 0.08 |
| 10 minutes | 0.17 |
| 15 minutes | 0.25 |
| 20 minutes | 0.33 |
| 30 minutes | 0.50 |
| 40 minutes | 0.67 |
| 45 minutes | 0.75 |
| 50 minutes | 0.83 |
| 60 minutes | 1.00 |
Decimal hours can be useful for timesheets, billing, invoicing, payroll calculations, and spreadsheets.
Examples of Hours Between Two Times
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
9:00 AM → 5:00 PM = 8 hours
Decimal:
8.00 hours
8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
8:00 AM → 4:30 PM = 8 hours 30 minutes
Decimal:
8.50 hours
8:30 AM to 5:30 PM With a 30-Minute Break
Total duration:
9 hours
Subtract the break:
9 hours − 30 minutes = 8 hours 30 minutes
Decimal:
8.50 hours
7:45 AM to 4:15 PM
Total:
8 hours 30 minutes
Decimal:
8.50 hours
10:00 PM to 6:00 AM
Because the time crosses midnight:
10:00 PM → 6:00 AM = 8 hours
Decimal:
8.00 hours
11:30 PM to 7:00 AM With a 30-Minute Break
Total duration:
7 hours 30 minutes
Subtract the break:
7 hours
Decimal:
7.00 hours
How to Calculate Hours Manually
One reliable way to calculate time manually is to convert both clock times into minutes after midnight.
Suppose you want to calculate the time between:
9:15 AM and 5:40 PM
First convert 9:15 AM into minutes:
9 × 60 + 15 = 555 minutes
Then convert 5:40 PM to 24-hour time:
5:40 PM = 17:40
Convert that into minutes:
17 × 60 + 40 = 1,060 minutes
Now subtract:
1,060 − 555 = 505 minutes
Convert 505 minutes back into hours:
505 ÷ 60 = 8 hours with 25 minutes remaining
Therefore:
9:15 AM to 5:40 PM = 8 hours 25 minutes
Using the Hours Calculator saves you from having to perform these conversions manually.
12-Hour and 24-Hour Time
Time is commonly displayed using either a 12-hour clock or a 24-hour clock.
A 12-hour clock uses AM and PM:
8:00 AM
2:30 PM
10:45 PM
A 24-hour clock represents each hour using a number from 00 to 23:
8:00 AM = 08:00
2:30 PM = 14:30
10:45 PM = 22:45
Some important conversions are:
| 12-Hour Time | 24-Hour Time |
| 12:00 AM | 00:00 |
| 6:00 AM | 06:00 |
| 9:00 AM | 09:00 |
| 12:00 PM | 12:00 |
| 3:00 PM | 15:00 |
| 6:00 PM | 18:00 |
| 10:00 PM | 22:00 |
| 11:59 PM | 23:59 |
The calculator can work with the supported time format without requiring you to manually convert every value.
What Is the Difference Between Elapsed Hours and Work Hours?
Elapsed hours measure the entire period from the start time to the end time.
Work hours may exclude unpaid breaks.
For example:
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM = 8 elapsed hours
If there is a one-hour unpaid lunch:
8 hours − 1 hour = 7 work hours
This distinction matters when calculating timesheets or working time.
What Can You Use an Hours Calculator For?
An Hours Calculator can be useful for much more than work.
You can use it to calculate:
- Work shifts and hours worked
- Time between two clock times
- Timesheet hours
- Freelance or billable time
- Study sessions
- Project duration
- Meetings and appointments
- Exercise sessions
- Travel duration
- Event duration
- Overnight shifts
- Personal time tracking
For calculations involving several working days or an entire week, a dedicated Timesheet Calculator or Work Hours Calculator may be more appropriate.
For a simple difference between two times, the Hours Calculator provides a quick answer without unnecessary fields.
Common Hours Calculator Examples
| Start Time | End Time | Break | Calculated Hours |
| 9:00 AM | 5:00 PM | 0 min | 8h 00m |
| 9:00 AM | 5:30 PM | 30 min | 8h 00m |
| 8:00 AM | 4:30 PM | 30 min | 8h 00m |
| 8:30 AM | 5:00 PM | 30 min | 8h 00m |
| 7:30 AM | 4:00 PM | 30 min | 8h 00m |
| 10:00 PM | 6:00 AM | 0 min | 8h 00m |
| 11:00 PM | 7:30 AM | 30 min | 8h 00m |
These examples are useful for quickly checking common shift durations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Calculating Hours
How do I calculate hours between two times?
Subtract the start time from the end time. If the calculation crosses midnight, account for the next day. The Hours Calculator performs this automatically and can display the result in hours and minutes, decimal hours, and total minutes.
How many hours are from 9 AM to 5 PM?
There are 8 hours between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM before subtracting any breaks.
If you take a 30-minute unpaid break:
8 hours − 30 minutes = 7 hours 30 minutes
How many hours are from 8 AM to 4 PM?
There are 8 hours between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
How many hours are from 8 AM to 4:30 PM?
There are 8 hours 30 minutes, or 8.50 decimal hours, between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM.
How many hours are from 9 AM to 5:30 PM?
There are 8 hours 30 minutes between 9:00 AM and 5:30 PM.
With a 30-minute break, the net time is 8 hours.
How do I calculate my hours worked?
Enter your clock-in time as the start time and your clock-out time as the end time. Subtract any unpaid break that should not be included in your working hours.
For example:
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM = 8h 30m
With a 30-minute unpaid break:
8h 30m − 30m = 8 hours worked
What is 8 hours 30 minutes in decimal hours?
Thirty minutes is half an hour:
30 ÷ 60 = 0.50
Therefore:
8 hours 30 minutes = 8.50 decimal hours
What is 7 hours 45 minutes in decimal hours?
Forty-five minutes equals:
45 ÷ 60 = 0.75
Therefore:
7 hours 45 minutes = 7.75 decimal hours
What is 15 minutes in decimal hours?
15 ÷ 60 = 0.25
So 15 minutes equals 0.25 hours.
What is 30 minutes in decimal hours?
30 ÷ 60 = 0.50
So 30 minutes equals 0.50 hours.
What is 45 minutes in decimal hours?
45 ÷ 60 = 0.75
So 45 minutes equals 0.75 hours.
Can I subtract a lunch break from my hours?
Yes. Enter the break duration in minutes and subtract it from the total elapsed time. Whether a particular break should be excluded from paid working time depends on the applicable workplace rules.
Can the calculator handle overnight shifts?
Yes. If your shift starts before midnight and finishes the next morning, the calculation can account for the change of day.
For example:
10:00 PM to 6:00 AM = 8 hours
Is 12:00 AM midnight or noon?
12:00 AM is midnight.
12:00 PM is noon.
How many minutes are in one hour?
There are 60 minutes in one hour.
One hour also contains 3,600 seconds.
Calculate Hours Quickly and Accurately
Calculating the difference between two times manually can become confusing when minutes, breaks, decimal hours, or overnight periods are involved.
The Hours Calculator simplifies the process.
Enter your start time, end time, and optional break duration to calculate the exact time between them in a clear format.
Whether you are calculating a work shift, checking a timesheet, tracking a project, measuring study time, or simply finding the number of hours between two times, the calculator provides the result instantly.