Add / Subtract Time
Time Format Converter
Dr. Alex M., Ph.D.
Technical Specialist | Updated November 2025
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💡 Expert Tips
Decimal Hours for Payroll
Most payroll systems want decimal hours, not hours:minutes. 8:30 (8 hours 30 minutes) = 8.5 decimal hours. Quick conversion: 15min=0.25h, 30min=0.5h, 45min=0.75h. If you worked 7:45, enter 7.75 on your timesheet.
Handling Lunch Breaks
If you worked 9am-5pm (8 hours) but took a 30-minute lunch, subtract the break: 8:00 - 0:30 = 7:30 actual work time. Most employers don't pay for lunch. Always subtract unpaid breaks from total time.
Overtime Calculations
Standard workweek = 40 hours. If you worked 42:30, that's 2:30 overtime. Overtime usually pays 1.5x (time-and-a-half). So 2.5 hours × 1.5 = 3.75 hours of regular pay equivalent.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Adding Minutes Wrong
Don't just add 45+30=75 minutes. That's 1 hour 15 minutes (1:15), not 75 minutes. When minutes exceed 60, they roll over into hours. This calculator handles that automatically.
Forgetting AM/PM
This calculator uses 24-hour format internally. If calculating work hours, convert first: 8:30am = 8:30, 5:15pm = 17:15. Then subtract: 17:15 - 8:30 = 8:45 worked.
Mixing Formats
Don't add 2.5 hours to 1:30. Convert first. 2.5 hours = 2:30. Then add: 2:30 + 1:30 = 4:00. Stick to one format (either decimal or hours:minutes).