# MINUTE function in Excel

> MINUTE returns the minutes part of a time as a number from 0 to 59, so 1:45 PM gives 45.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/minute · Updated October 28, 2026 · Formulas and results on this page were run by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on October 30, 2026

## Quick answer

- **What it does:** MINUTE returns the minutes part of a time as a number from 0 to 59, so 1:45 PM gives 45.
- **Syntax:** `=MINUTE(serial_number)`
- **Most common use:** `=MINUTE(A2)` returns 45 (1:45 PM gives 45)
- **Available in:** Every current version
- **Category:** [Date functions](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/category/date)
- **Returns:** A whole number from 0 to 59.
- **Google Sheets:** Works the same in Google Sheets.

## What it does

MINUTE returns the minutes part of a time as a number from 0 to 59, so 1:45 PM gives 45. Use it with HOUR to split timestamps into parts, round times to the quarter hour, or check how many minutes past the hour something happened. It ignores the date part of a date and time.

## Syntax

`=MINUTE(serial_number)`

| Argument | Required? | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| `serial_number` | Required | A time, a date and time, or time text. |

## Examples

Each result was calculated by running the formula on the sample sheet.

| Cell | Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2 | `=MINUTE(A2)` | 45 | 1:45 PM gives 45 |
| B3 | `=MINUTE(A3)` | 30 | 7:30 AM gives 30 |
| B4 | `=HOUR(A2)*60+MINUTE(A2)` | 825 | Minutes since midnight: 825 |

### The sample sheet

Every formula above runs on this data:

|  | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Timestamp | Result |
| 2 | 1/5/2026 13:45:00 | 45 |
| 3 | 7:30 AM | 30 |
| 4 | 6:05 PM | 825 |

## Common mistakes

| What you see | Why, and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| #VALUE! | The cell holds text that isn't a time. |
| The minutes of a duration over an hour | MINUTE only returns 0–59. For total minutes in a duration, use =A2*1440. |

## Tips

- =A2*1440 turns a duration into total minutes, which MINUTE can't do.

## Related functions

- [HOUR](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/hour): HOUR returns the hour of a time as a number from 0 to 23, so 1:45 PM gives 13.
- [SECOND](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/second): SECOND returns the seconds part of a time as a number from 0 to 59.
- [TIME](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/time): TIME builds a time from hours, minutes and seconds, such as TIME(13,30,0) for 1:30 PM.

## Questions

### How do I get the minutes from a time in Excel?

=MINUTE(A2) returns the minutes part, 0–59.

### How do I convert a time to total minutes?

Multiply by 1440, the minutes in a day: =A2*1440.

## Practice

A graded MINUTE exercise ("Minutes past the hour") is on [the MINUTE page](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/minute). It is checked instantly, then re-checked on changed data.

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