# How to convert time zones in Excel

Add 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.

**Excel:** `=$F$1+B2/24` (Every current version)

**Google Sheets:** the same formula works.

## Example

Sample data (row 1 is the header):

| A | B | C | D | E | F |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| City | UTC offset (hours) | Local time |  | Meeting (UTC) | 46091.625 |
| New York | -4 |  |  |  |  |
| London | 0 |  |  |  |  |
| Tokyo | 9 |  |  |  |  |
| Mumbai | 5.5 |  |  |  |  |
| Los Angeles | -7 |  |  |  |  |
| Sydney | 11 |  |  |  |  |

Formula in C2, filled to C7: `=$F$1+B2/24`

Result: 3/10/2026 11:00; 3/10/2026 15:00; 3/11/2026 0:00; 3/10/2026 20:30; 3/10/2026 8:00; 3/11/2026 2:00

## 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.

## Other ways

- `=MOD($F$1+B2/24,1)`: The local clock time only, without the date. (Time of day only.)
- `=$F$1+B2*60/1440`: 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.

## 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`.

Every formula and result on this page was checked by running it in the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on 2026-10-30.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/formulas/convert-time-zones