Convert Minutes to Decimal Hours
Decimal hours represent time as a single number instead of hours and minutes. They are commonly used in spreadsheets, timesheets, and timekeeping systems.
Practical timekeeping guide · ShiftHours
The formula
Divide the number of minutes by 60, then add that value to the whole hours. For example, 7 hours and 30 minutes is 7 + (30 ÷ 60), which equals 7.50 decimal hours.
Quick decimal-hours chart
15 minutes = 0.25 hours; 30 minutes = 0.50 hours; 45 minutes = 0.75 hours; 10 minutes ≈ 0.17 hours; 20 minutes ≈ 0.33 hours; and 40 minutes ≈ 0.67 hours. Values repeating beyond two decimal places are rounded here to two places.
Minutes are not hundredths
A common mistake is to write 7 hours 30 minutes as 7.30 hours. That is incorrect because decimal fractions are based on 60 minutes per hour. The correct decimal value is 7.50 hours.
Convert a full shift
First calculate the net shift duration after subtracting unpaid breaks. Then convert the remaining minutes to a decimal. A shift of 8 hours and 15 minutes becomes 8.25 hours, while 8 hours and 45 minutes becomes 8.75 hours.
Use a calculator to check your result
The ShiftHours calculator displays both hours and minutes and decimal hours, so you can compare the two formats without doing the conversion manually.
Use the free ShiftHours work hours calculator to subtract unpaid breaks and see your total in hours and decimal format.
Conversion examples
To convert minutes to decimal hours, divide by 60: 20 minutes = 0.333… hours (often displayed as 0.33), 40 minutes = 0.666… hours (often displayed as 0.67), and 50 minutes = 0.833… hours (often displayed as 0.83). Follow the rounding rules used by your timesheet.
Related resources
Calculate work hours More decimal-hours examples Calculate weekly work hours