Master the MINUTE Function: Extract Minutes from Any Time Value in Excel
=MINUTE(serial_number)The MINUTE function is one of Excel's essential date and time tools, designed to extract the minute component from a time value. Whether you're working with timestamps, calculating time intervals, or analyzing scheduling data, this function provides a straightforward way to isolate the minutes portion of any time. This beginner-friendly formula returns an integer between 0 and 59, making it perfect for time-based analysis and reporting. Understanding how to use MINUTE effectively opens up numerous possibilities in data analysis and business reporting. From tracking employee work hours to analyzing customer call durations, this formula integrates seamlessly into larger spreadsheet solutions. Combined with other date and time functions like HOUR and SECOND, MINUTE becomes a powerful component of your Excel toolkit for managing temporal data efficiently and accurately.
Syntax & Parameters
The MINUTE function uses a straightforward syntax: =MINUTE(serial_number). The serial_number parameter is the only required argument and represents the time value from which you want to extract minutes. This parameter can be provided in several formats: as a time value (like 2:30 PM), a cell reference containing a time (like A1), or a formula that returns a time value (like NOW() or TIME(14,30,0)). Excel stores times as decimal numbers where 1 represents 24 hours, so 0.5 equals 12:00 PM. The MINUTE function converts this decimal representation and extracts only the minutes component, returning a value from 0 to 59. When you provide a date-time combination, the function ignores the date portion and focuses solely on the time. If your serial_number is invalid or contains text that cannot be converted to a time value, Excel will return a #VALUE! error. For optimal results, ensure your input is properly formatted as a time value or use TIME() function to create the time explicitly.
serial_numberPractical Examples
Extracting Minutes from Current Time
=MINUTE(NOW())The NOW() function returns the current date and time, and MINUTE extracts just the minutes component. If NOW() returns 2024-01-15 14:35:22, this formula will return 35.
Analyzing Call Duration Minutes
=MINUTE(B2)If cell B2 contains 16:45:30 (4:45:30 PM), MINUTE extracts the minutes portion from this time value, returning only the minutes component regardless of hours or seconds.
Creating Time-Based Categories
=IF(MINUTE(A3)<30,"First Half","Second Half")This formula extracts minutes from the time in A3 and compares it to 30, creating a categorical classification. Times like 14:15:00 return 'First Half' while 14:45:00 returns 'Second Half'.
Key Takeaways
- MINUTE extracts the minute component (0-59) from any time value, making it essential for time-based data analysis and reporting.
- The function accepts various input formats including direct time values, cell references, and formulas like NOW() or TIME().
- Common errors (#VALUE!, #NUM!, #NAME?) are easily prevented by ensuring proper time formatting and correct function spelling.
- MINUTE combines effectively with other functions like HOUR, SECOND, and TEXT to create sophisticated time analysis and formatting solutions.
- For durations exceeding 24 hours or complex time calculations, combine MINUTE with MOD or helper columns rather than creating deeply nested formulas.
Pro Tips
Use MINUTE with MOD to extract minutes from durations exceeding 24 hours. Formula: =MOD(A1,1)*24*60 gives total minutes, then use INT() to get whole minutes.
Impact : Enables analysis of long-duration data like project timelines without losing information to Excel's 24-hour time reset.
Combine MINUTE with COUNTIF to analyze time distribution patterns. For example, count how many entries have minutes greater than 30 to understand data clustering.
Impact : Reveals temporal patterns in your data, helping identify peak times or anomalies in time-based datasets.
Create a helper column with MINUTE values when performing complex time calculations, rather than nesting multiple functions. This improves formula readability and debugging.
Impact : Reduces formula complexity, makes spreadsheets more maintainable, and helps collaborators understand your logic more quickly.
Remember that MINUTE always returns 0-59, even if your time format displays differently. This consistency is valuable for mathematical operations and comparisons.
Impact : Ensures predictable behavior in calculations and comparisons, eliminating unexpected results from time formatting variations.
Useful Combinations
Extract Minutes and Format as Two Digits
=TEXT(MINUTE(A1),"00")Combines MINUTE with TEXT to ensure the result always displays with two digits. Returns "05" instead of "5", useful for creating standardized time displays or concatenating time components into formatted strings.
Calculate Minutes Elapsed Since Hour Started
=MINUTE(A1)+SECOND(A1)/60Combines MINUTE with SECOND to calculate total minutes including fractional seconds. Useful for precise time interval calculations where you need minutes as a decimal value rather than just whole minutes.
Conditional Categorization by Minutes
=IF(MINUTE(NOW())>=30,HOUR(NOW())+1,HOUR(NOW()))&":00"Combines MINUTE and HOUR with IF logic to round times to the nearest hour. If current time is 14:35, this returns "15:00"; if 14:15, it returns "14:00", useful for scheduling and rounding applications.
Common Errors
Cause: The serial_number parameter contains text or invalid data that cannot be interpreted as a time value. For example, =MINUTE("not a time") or =MINUTE("14:30:00") when the cell is formatted as text.
Solution: Ensure your input is properly formatted as a time value. Use the TIME() function to create valid time values, or check that cells containing times are formatted as Time, not Text. Convert text to time using TIMEVALUE() if necessary: =MINUTE(TIMEVALUE(A1)).
Cause: The serial_number is outside the valid range for time values. While rare, this can occur with extremely large or small numbers that don't represent valid times.
Solution: Verify that your time value falls within the valid range (0 to 0.99999, representing 0:00:00 to 23:59:59). If combining MINUTE with calculations, ensure intermediate results remain within valid time ranges.
Cause: The function name is misspelled or Excel doesn't recognize it. This occurs with typos like =MINITE() or =MIN() instead of =MINUTE().
Solution: Check the spelling carefully and ensure you're using =MINUTE() exactly. Verify that the formula is entered in a cell, not in a text field. If using older Excel versions, confirm that the version supports this function (available since Excel 2007).
Troubleshooting Checklist
- 1.Verify that the serial_number parameter is formatted as Time, not Text. Check cell formatting (right-click > Format Cells > Time).
- 2.Ensure the time value is within valid range (0 to 0.99999 representing 0:00:00 to 23:59:59) and not corrupted or manually entered incorrectly.
- 3.Check for leading/trailing spaces in time values, especially if imported from external sources. Use TRIM() to clean data: =MINUTE(TRIM(A1)).
- 4.Confirm the formula syntax is exactly =MINUTE() with proper parentheses and no extra spaces or characters that might cause #NAME? errors.
- 5.Test with a known time value like =MINUTE(TIME(14,30,0)) to verify the function works, isolating whether the issue is with the formula or input data.
- 6.If using MINUTE with NOW() or TODAY(), remember these functions update continuously; save your workbook to preserve specific values if needed.
Edge Cases
Applying MINUTE to a time value of 00:00:00 (midnight)
Behavior: Returns 0, correctly identifying that zero minutes have elapsed in the hour.
This is expected behavior and useful for identifying times at the start of each hour.
Using MINUTE with a time value like 23:59:59 (one second before midnight)
Behavior: Returns 59, correctly extracting the minutes component even at the edge of the 24-hour cycle.
Demonstrates that MINUTE works correctly regardless of the hour value.
Applying MINUTE to a decimal number that represents a time (like 0.625 for 15:00)
Behavior: Returns 0, since 0.625 represents exactly 15:00:00 with zero minutes past the hour.
Solution: If you need to work with decimal time values, ensure they accurately represent your intended time. Use TIME() function for clarity.
Excel's internal time storage as decimals can be confusing; always verify decimal values represent intended times.
Limitations
- •MINUTE cannot extract minutes from durations exceeding 24 hours without additional calculation, as Excel's time system resets after 24 hours. Use MOD functions or convert to total minutes for longer durations.
- •The function returns only whole minutes (0-59) and does not include fractional minutes or seconds. If you need precision beyond whole minutes, combine with SECOND function or use decimal calculations.
- •MINUTE requires properly formatted time values; it cannot parse arbitrary text representations of time without first converting them using TIMEVALUE() function, adding complexity to formula chains.
- •When used with NOW() or TODAY(), the result updates continuously in volatile calculations, potentially affecting performance in large spreadsheets or creating unexpected value changes during file operations.
Alternatives
Provides more formatting flexibility, allowing you to display minutes in various formats ("mm", "m", etc.) and combine with other time components in a single formula.
When: When you need formatted output like "05" instead of "5", or when combining multiple time components into a single display string like "14:30:22".
Compatibility
✓ Excel
Since 2007
=MINUTE(serial_number) - Available in all versions from Excel 2007 through Excel 365 with identical syntax and behavior.✓Google Sheets
=MINUTE(time) - Google Sheets uses identical syntax and functionality, though it may handle time formatting slightly differently.Google Sheets automatically converts times to decimal format similar to Excel, so MINUTE works consistently across platforms.
✓LibreOffice
=MINUTE(serial_number) - LibreOffice Calc supports MINUTE with the same syntax and behavior as Excel.