How to convert time zones in Excel
Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)
=$F$1+B2/24Add the UTC offset as a fraction of a day: =$F$1+B2/24, with the UTC time in F1 and the offset in hours in B2.
- Result on the example
- one result per row in
C2, filled down toC7 - Works in
- Every current version
- Google Sheets
- Same formula
See it work
The formula is already in C2, filled down to C7. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.
How it works
An offset in hours divided by 24 is a fraction of a day, so adding it to the UTC date and time gives the local date and time, rolling into the next day where needed: 3:00 PM UTC is midnight in Tokyo.
=$F$1+B2/24Result46091.45833
$F$13/10/2026 15:00The value in F1.
B2-4The value in B2.
B2/24-0.1666666667The / operator divides.
$F$1+B2/2446091.45833The + operator adds.
In Google Sheets
The same formula works in Google Sheets: =$F$1+B2/24. We ran it in Google Sheets mode on the same data and it returns the same results.
Other ways to do it
Each one was run on the same example sheet.
| Formula | Result | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| =MOD($F$1+B2/24,1) | 12/30/1899 11:00, 12/30/1899 15:00, 12/30/1899 0:00…Different result | The local clock time only, without the date. Time of day only. |
| =$F$1+B2*60/1440 | 3/10/2026 11:00, 3/10/2026 15:00, 3/11/2026 0:00… | Converts the offset to minutes first; the same result. |
Common mistakes
- Offsets change with daylight saving time, on different dates in different countries. Keep them in a column you update, not inside the formula.
- Half-hour and 45-minute zones exist, like India (+5.5) and Nepal (+5.75). Decimal offsets handle them.
Try it yourself
Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.
Convert time zones
C2, convert the UTC meeting time in F1 to local time using the offset in B2, and fill down to C7.Questions
How do I convert local time to UTC?
Subtract the offset: =local-B2/24.
How do I convert between two local zones?
Add the difference of their offsets: =time+(to_offset-from_offset)/24.
Checked by running on 2026-10-30: every formula and result on this page was calculated by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine, in both Excel and Google Sheets modes.