# SECOND function in Excel

> SECOND returns the seconds part of a time as a number from 0 to 59.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/second · 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:** SECOND returns the seconds part of a time as a number from 0 to 59.
- **Syntax:** `=SECOND(serial_number)`
- **Most common use:** `=SECOND(A2)` returns 15 (12:07:15 PM gives 15)
- **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

SECOND returns the seconds part of a time as a number from 0 to 59. Use it with HOUR and MINUTE to take apart lap times, log timestamps or call durations, or to check whether recorded times carry seconds at all. Times are stored to the second, so it rounds tiny leftovers away.

## Syntax

`=SECOND(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 | `=SECOND(A2)` | 15 | 12:07:15 PM gives 15 |
| B3 | `=MINUTE(A2)` | 7 | And 7 minutes |
| B4 | `=SECOND(A3)` | 0 | One minute exactly has 0 seconds |

### The sample sheet

Every formula above runs on this data:

|  | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Time | Result |
| 2 | 1/5/2026 12:07:15 | 15 |
| 3 | 12:01 AM | 7 |
| 4 |  | 0 |

## Common mistakes

| What you see | Why, and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| Always 0 | The times were entered without seconds, or the cell holds only a date. |
| #VALUE! | The cell holds text that isn't a time. |

## Tips

- =A2*86400 turns a duration into total seconds.

## Related functions

- [MINUTE](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/minute): MINUTE returns the minutes part of a time as a number from 0 to 59, so 1:45 PM gives 45.
- [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.
- [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 seconds from a time in Excel?

=SECOND(A2) returns 0–59. Format the time as h:mm:ss to see seconds in the cell.

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

Multiply by 86400, the seconds in a day: =A2*86400.

## Practice

A graded SECOND exercise ("Seconds of each lap") is on [the SECOND page](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/second). It is checked instantly, then re-checked on changed data.

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