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Time Duration Calculator Calculate the duration between two times with optional date support for multi-day spans.

Time Duration Calculator illustration
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Time Duration Calculator

Calculate the duration between two times with optional date support for multi-day spans.

1

Enter Start Time

Set the starting time using the time picker.

2

Enter End Time

Set the ending time.

3

View Duration

See the exact duration in hours, minutes, seconds, and decimal hours.

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What Is Time Duration Calculator?

The Time Duration Calculator computes the exact elapsed time between two time points, displaying the result in multiple formats. Enter start and end times to see the duration in hours, minutes, and seconds, as well as total hours, total minutes, total seconds, and decimal hours. An optional date toggle lets you include dates for durations that span multiple days. The calculator handles overnight time spans automatically when dates are not included, assuming the next occurrence of the end time. This is useful for tracking meeting durations, calculating travel times, measuring elapsed periods, and any situation requiring precise time difference computation.

Why Use Time Duration Calculator?

  • Precise duration calculation in multiple formats
  • Optional date support for multi-day durations
  • Shows total hours, minutes, and seconds
  • Decimal hours output for timesheet compatibility
  • Handles overnight spans automatically
  • Simple, intuitive interface

Common Use Cases

Meeting Length

Calculate how long a meeting lasted from start to end time.

Travel Time

Determine travel duration from departure to arrival times.

Event Duration

Calculate the length of events, conferences, or performances.

Billable Hours

Compute exact billable time for invoicing clients.

Sleep Duration

Calculate how many hours you slept from bedtime to wake time.

Technical Guide

When dates are included, the tool constructs full Date objects from the date and time inputs and computes the millisecond difference. Without dates, it converts start and end times to minutes past midnight and handles overnight spans by adding 24 hours when the difference is negative. The duration is broken down into days, hours, minutes, and seconds using sequential division and modulo operations. Decimal hours are computed as totalMinutes / 60. All results are derived from a single millisecond difference, ensuring consistency across all output formats.

Tips & Best Practices

  • 1
    Enable "Include dates" for durations spanning multiple days (e.g., conference length)
  • 2
    Decimal hours are useful for timesheet entry — 1h 30m = 1.50 decimal hours
  • 3
    For overnight times without dates, the calculator assumes the next day automatically
  • 4
    Total seconds is useful for scientific timing applications
  • 5
    Combine with the Working Hours Calculator for full shift tracking

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q Does it handle overnight durations?
Yes, without dates enabled, if the end time is earlier than the start time, 24 hours are added. With dates, any multi-day span is calculated correctly.
Q What is the decimal hours format?
Decimal hours express time as a decimal number. For example, 2 hours 15 minutes = 2.25 decimal hours. This format is standard in payroll systems.
Q Can I calculate multi-day durations?
Yes, enable the "Include dates" option to enter both dates and times for durations spanning multiple days.
Q How precise is the calculation?
The calculation is precise to the second level. Sub-second precision is not available in the time picker inputs.
Q Is this different from the Working Hours Calculator?
Yes, the Working Hours Calculator includes break deduction and earnings estimation. This tool focuses purely on time difference computation.

About This Tool

Time Duration Calculator is a free online tool by FreeToolkit.ai. All processing happens directly in your browser — your data never leaves your device. No registration or installation required.