XL: Converting a Decimal Number to hh:mm:ss Format in Excel

ID: Q75618


The information in this article applies to:


SUMMARY

The following formula converts decimal minutes to the hh:mm:ss format in Microsoft Excel


   ="Minutes"/1440 


where "Minutes" is a decimal number between 0.0 and 1440.0. The portion of the number to the left of the decimal refers to the number of minutes. The decimal portion of the number refers to seconds. 1439.0 minutes is equal to 23 hours and 59 minutes and converts to "23:59:00". There are 1440.0 minutes in 24 hours. Using the formula shown above will return a serial number. To display the serial number in the appropriate format, choose Number from the Format menu (or, on the Format menu, click Cells, and then select the Number tab) and select hh:mm:ss.

To convert hours and minutes from a decimal number to the hh:mm:ss format use the following formula:


   ="Hours.Minutes"/24 


Example

Use this formula to convert 4.5 minutes to 0:04:30:


   =4.5/1440 


Decimal hours.minutes:

Use this formula to convert 4.5 hours to 04:30:00:


   =4.5/24 


REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel Function Reference," version 3.0, pages 200, 236, 239

Additional query words:


Keywords          : xlformat 
Version           : WINDOWS:2.1,3.0,4.0,5.0,5.0c,7.0,97; MACINTOSH: 3.0,4.0,5.0,5.0a,98; os/2:2.2,3.0
Platform          : MACINTOSH OS/2 WINDOWS 
Issue type        : 

Last Reviewed: March 23, 1999