Use this free work hours calculator to find out how many hours you worked between two times. Enter a start time and an end time, subtract an unpaid break if you took one, and the result appears right away in hours and minutes and as decimal hours, the format most payroll systems use. Shifts that run past midnight are handled automatically.
How to use the work hours calculator
- Choose 12-hour (AM/PM) or 24-hour time with the toggle.
- Enter the time your shift started.
- Enter the time your shift ended. If you worked past midnight, enter the real end time.
- Type the length of any unpaid break in minutes.
- Read your total in hours:minutes and in decimal hours.
Example: an 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM shift
You clock in at 8:30 AM and clock out at 5:15 PM with a 45-minute unpaid lunch. From 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM is 8 hours 45 minutes. Subtract the 45-minute break and you worked 8 hours, which is 8.00 in decimal hours. For an overnight shift from 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM with a 30-minute break, the elapsed time is 8 hours 30 minutes, so you worked 8 hours (8.00 decimal hours) after the break.
How hours worked are calculated
The calculator converts each time to minutes after midnight. Hours worked equals the end time minus the start time, minus the break. If the end time is earlier than the start time, the shift crossed midnight, so 24 hours (1,440 minutes) are added before subtracting. Dividing the total minutes by 60 gives decimal hours, so 7 hours 45 minutes is 7 + 45/60 = 7.75.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours worked with a lunch break?
Subtract the start time from the end time, then subtract the unpaid lunch. For example, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM is 8 hours 30 minutes, and a 30-minute lunch leaves 8 hours.
How do I calculate hours worked overnight?
Enter the real start and end times. When the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator adds 24 hours automatically, so 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is 8 hours.
What is 7 hours 45 minutes in decimal?
7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours, because 45 minutes divided by 60 is 0.75.
Should I subtract a paid break?
No. Only subtract breaks your employer does not pay for. Paid breaks count as time worked.
Does the calculator round my time?
No. Results are exact to the minute. Some employers round punches to the nearest quarter hour, so check your own policy before comparing against a paycheck.