How To Find Time Differences In Microsoft Excel

In Excel, calculating time difference involves determining the duration or elapsed time between two specific times or dates. This is done by subtracting the start time or date from the end time or date to obtain the time difference. Such time difference calculations are widely utilized in diverse applications, including the calculation of work hours, project durations, and data analysis.

This tutorial will teach us how to find time differences in Microsoft Excel. Excel provides several options to calculate time differences, including using built-in functions like Hours, Minutes, or Text. Additionally, the time difference can be calculated by subtracting the start time from the end time, which yields the difference in hours or minutes, as needed.

As an illustration below, let’s consider a weekly schedule that tracks the amount of time spent on a screen. Our objective is to calculate the daily screen time by finding the total time spent on each day.

Method 1: Utilizing the Hours and Minutes Function

Step 1 – Enter the HOUR Function in the “Hours” Column

Enter the HOUR Function in the “hours” column.

Step 2 – Input the Arguments

Input C2-B2 as the arguments for the HOUR function.
Where C2 is the cell containing the end time and B2 is the cell containing the start time.
Strike the Enter key.
The hours between the two-time stamps would be displayed.

Step 3 – Enter the MINUTE Function in the “Minutes” Column

Enter the MINUTE Function in the “Minutes” column.

Step 4 – Input the Arguments

Input C2-B2 as the arguments for the MINUTE function.
Where C2 is the cell containing the end time and B2 is the cell containing the start time.
Strike the Enter key.
The time difference between the start time and the end time will be displayed.