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Date & Time calculator

Hours Calculator

Find hours between two clock times, including overnight shifts, then subtract an unpaid break.

Hours worked7.5
Clock form7:30
Crossed midnightNo

Times are clock-of-day values, not time-zone offsets. Equal start and end is 0 hours.

FormulaElapsed hours = (End − Start, plus 24 h if the shift crosses midnight) − unpaid break
Calculation steps
  1. 17:00 − 09:00 = 480 minutes.
  2. Unpaid break = 30 minutes
  3. 480 − 30 = 450 minutes = 7.5 hours

Need 7:45 as 7.75? Use Hours to Decimal

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How it works

How to use this hours calculator

  1. Enter the start time and end time.
  2. Enter unpaid break minutes, or 0 if there is no break.
  3. Read decimal hours, clock form, and whether the shift crossed midnight.

Formula

The calculation formula

Elapsed hours = (End − Start, plus 24 h if the shift crosses midnight) − unpaid break
01

Convert start and end to minutes after midnight.

02

If the end is earlier, add 24 hours so the shift continues past midnight.

03

Subtract unpaid break minutes and divide by 60.

Worked examples

Example calculations

Day shift with a break

09:00 to 17:00 is 480 minutes. Subtract 30 minutes for lunch: 7.5 hours.

Overnight

22:00 to 06:00 is 8 hours because the end time is treated as the next calendar day.

When to use it

Common use cases

  • Log a 9-to-5 day minus lunch
  • Count an overnight shift from 22:00 to 06:00
  • See both decimal hours and HH:MM

Limits

Assumptions and limits

  • Times are clock-of-day values with no time zone. Daylight-saving springs or falls are not modeled.
  • An end time earlier than the start is an overnight shift, not an error.
  • Equal start and end is 0 hours, not a 24-hour shift.
  • A break longer than the shift is rejected.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Need 7:45 as 7.75 instead of two clock times?

Use the Hours to Decimal Calculator. This page subtracts a start and end time. Hours to Decimal converts a duration you already know, such as 7 hours 45 minutes, into 7.75.

How does the calculator handle a shift that crosses midnight?

If the end time is earlier than the start, 24 hours are added before subtracting. 22:00 to 06:00 is 8 hours.

Can I convert the result to a decimal for payroll?

Yes. The primary result is already decimal hours. Use Hours to Decimal if you are starting from a written 7:45 instead of two clock times.

Does this apply German working-time break rules?

No. Break minutes are whatever you enter. This page does not suggest statutory pauses. For German Arbeitszeit with ArbZG pause help, use Zeitrechner's working-time calculator: Arbeitszeitrechner on Zeitrechner.app

Sources

Sources and review