How to use this calculator
Use the hours between two times calculator to measure a shift, appointment, study session, or other part of a day. Enter the start and end using your device’s time controls, then enter the total unpaid break in minutes. The result includes hours and minutes, decimal hours, total minutes, and seconds, so you can copy the format your timesheet or project record needs.
Choose Times only when you want the difference between two clock readings. Select End is on the next day for an overnight shift. For a span with actual calendar dates, especially one that crosses a daylight saving change, switch to Dates & time zones. Enter both local dates and times and select the location where the shift happened. Keep the calculator above open while checking the examples below.
Formula and calculation method
Net hours = (end minutes − start minutes + next-day minutes − unpaid break minutes) ÷ 60. Next-day minutes = 1,440 when selected, otherwise 0.
Convert the clock readings to one unit
Multiply the hour by 60 and add the minutes. For example, 09:15 becomes 555 minutes after midnight and 17:45 becomes 1,065. Subtracting gives 510 minutes, or 8 hours 30 minutes. Using a common unit avoids treating clock notation as an ordinary decimal number. In particular, 8:30 means eight and a half hours, not 8.30 hours.
Deduct breaks before converting the result
Add together only the breaks you intend to exclude, subtract that number from the gross span, then divide by 60 for decimal hours. A 15-minute break and a 30-minute lunch make a 45-minute deduction. Keep paid breaks inside the total when that matches your recordkeeping purpose. This tool does not decide whether a particular break must be paid.
Worked examples
An ordinary workday
Start at 09:00 and finish at 17:30. The gross span is 510 minutes. Subtract a 30-minute unpaid lunch to get 480 minutes. Dividing by 60 gives 8 decimal hours, displayed as 8 h 0 min. With no unpaid break, the same clock readings would instead produce 8 h 30 min, or 8.5 hours.
An overnight shift
Start at 22:00 and finish at 06:30 the following morning. Select the next-day option: 390 − 1,320 + 1,440 = 510 minutes. With a 45-minute unpaid break, the net is 465 minutes, which is 7 h 45 min or 7.75 hours. Leaving next day unchecked produces an error so an accidental reversal does not silently become a shift.
A shorter session with two breaks
A session from 13:10 to 16:25 lasts 195 minutes. Two unpaid breaks of 10 minutes each reduce it to 175 minutes. The answer is 2 h 55 min, or approximately 2.9167 decimal hours. Preserve the minutes or seconds when adding several sessions; repeatedly rounding each session to two decimal places can change the final total.
Edge cases and practical checks
Daylight saving and repeated times
Clock readings alone cannot identify elapsed time during a clock change. On March 10, 2024, 01:30 to 03:30 in New York was one elapsed hour because the clock skipped ahead. Times-only mode returns two clock hours. Dated mode uses the selected time zone and asks for an occurrence when a local time repeats. Review the start and end policies independently.
Midnight, equal times, and invalid breaks
Midnight is 00:00. Equal start and end readings mean zero hours unless next day is selected, in which case the gross clock span is 24 hours. Breaks cannot be negative or longer than the gross span. Use dated mode for multiple days rather than trying to encode several midnights with a single checkbox.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours are there from 9 to 5?
From 09:00 to 17:00 on the same day is eight hours before breaks. A 30-minute unpaid lunch makes the net seven hours and 30 minutes, or 7.5 decimal hours. Enter an unpaid break of zero if the full eight hours should count.
Does this calculator include lunch?
The gross span includes all time between start and finish. Only the minutes you enter in the unpaid-break field are deducted. If lunch is already outside your entered intervals, do not deduct it again. For split shifts, calculate each interval or use the time card calculator.
How do I calculate hours across midnight?
Enter the start and end clock times and check End is on the next day. The calculation adds 24 clock hours before subtracting the start. Use the dated option if the shift crosses a daylight saving change or lasts across more than one midnight.
Why is 7 hours 30 minutes equal to 7.5 hours?
Minutes are sixtieths of an hour: 30 ÷ 60 = 0.5. Add that fraction to the seven whole hours. Writing 7.30 as a decimal means seven hours plus 0.30 of an hour, which is seven hours and 18 minutes.
Can I share the times and result?
Use Copy calculation link to create a link containing the inputs. Opening it restores the calculation, and the recipient can change any value. The link includes the times and break length, so share it only with people who should see those details.
Can this calculate my wages?
This page measures time. Use the time card with pay rate for a gross earnings estimate, or the overtime calculator when you need separate regular and overtime hours. Deductions, taxes, and employer-specific pay policies require information beyond a start and end time.
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