Decimal hours calculator
Convert between hours and minutes and decimal hours in either direction, or turn a number of minutes into hours. Useful when a payroll form asks for 7.75 rather than 7:45.
- 100% free
- Runs in your browser
- No uploads
Result
Enter hours and minutes.
- 15 min0.25
- 30 min0.50
- 45 min0.75
- 60 min1.00
- Runs on your deviceEvery tool works directly in your browser. No files are uploaded.
- Your privacy mattersYour files never leave your device, so there's nothing for us to store.
- No limitsUse any tool as much as you need. No daily caps, no waiting.
- Completely freeNo signup and no trial to cancel. Ads keep the tools free.
How to convert hours and minutes
- Choose the conversion. h:mm to decimal, decimal to h:mm, minutes to decimal or decimal to minutes.
- Type the value. For h:mm you can type hours and minutes separately, or paste 8:30 into the hours box.
- Pick the decimal places. Two is standard for payroll. The underlying value never changes, only how it's shown.
- Copy the answer. The working is shown under the result so you can check it.
Decimal hours formula
Decimal hours = hours + minutes ÷ 60.
Hours and minutes = whole hours, then the decimal part × 60 for minutes.
For example 38 hours 20 minutes is 38 + 20 ÷ 60 = 38.333…, shown as 38.33. Going the other way, 6.4 hours is 6 hours and 0.4 × 60 = 24 minutes. When a decimal doesn't come out to a whole minute, such as 8.57 hours (8 hours 34.2 minutes), the result is rounded to the nearest minute and the exact time is shown in hours, minutes and seconds.
Common conversions
| Hours and minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|
| 0:15 | 0.25 |
| 0:30 | 0.50 |
| 0:45 | 0.75 |
| 7:30 | 7.50 |
| 7:45 | 7.75 |
| 8:20 | 8.33 |
| 8:40 | 8.67 |
| 37:30 | 37.50 |
Why 8:30 and 8.30 are different
A clock counts minutes in sixties; decimals count in hundredths. So the digits after the colon and the digits after the point mean different things. 8:30 is half past eight, or 8.50 hours. 8.30 hours is 8 hours 18 minutes.
Getting this wrong on a timesheet costs real money. Enter 7:45 as 7.45 and at $20 an hour you are paid 7.45 × $20 = $149.00 instead of 7.75 × $20 = $155.00, which is $6.00 short for one day.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. 45 minutes is 45 ÷ 60 = 0.75 hours, 20 minutes is 0.33 and 50 minutes is 0.83 (rounded to two places).
Is 8.30 hours the same as 8 hours 30 minutes?
No. 8 hours 30 minutes is 8.5 decimal hours. 8.30 decimal hours is 8 hours plus 0.3 × 60 = 18 minutes, so 8 hours 18 minutes.
How do I convert decimal hours back to hours and minutes?
Keep the whole number as hours and multiply the decimal part by 60 for the minutes. 6.4 hours is 6 hours and 0.4 × 60 = 24 minutes.
How many decimal places should I use?
Most payroll systems use two. Two places can be off by up to 18 seconds per entry, so if you add up many entries, add the minutes first and convert the total once. This calculator always converts from the exact minutes.
What is 7 hours and 45 minutes in decimal?
7.75 hours, because 45 minutes is three quarters of an hour.