Summary

The Excel MINUTE function returns the minute component of a time value as a whole number from 0 to 59.

MINUTE is useful when you need to break a time into parts, analyze timestamps, build minute-based logic, or group events by where they fall within the hour.

Syntax

=MINUTE(serial_number)

The argument is called serial_number because Excel stores times as decimal parts of a date value. In practice, you can pass a time, a date-time, a cell reference, or the result of another formula.

Arguments

• serial_number - A valid Excel time or date-time value that contains the minute you want to extract.

MINUTE vs Related Time Functions

MINUTE is one of the core functions used to split a time into smaller parts.

Use MINUTE when you need the numeric minute for logic or analysis. Use TEXT when you only need a formatted display value.

Using MINUTE

Microsoft documents that MINUTE accepts times entered as text strings, decimal numbers, or results from other formulas. For example, a time such as "6:45 PM", a decimal like 0.78125, or a formula result from TIMEVALUE() can all be used.

Microsoft also notes that time values are stored as part of a date value and represented by a decimal number. That means MINUTE can work on both pure times and full date-time values, as long as Excel recognizes the input as a valid time.

A common use is extracting the minute for grouping, filtering, or rule-based logic. For example, you might flag all entries in the first half of the hour, or build a helper column that shows only the minute component of a timestamp.

Example 1 - Extract the Minute from a Time

The simplest use of MINUTE is to pull the minute number from a time value.

=MINUTE("22:45:00")   // Returns 45

This is useful when you need only the minute part and do not care about the hour or second.

Example 2 - Extract the Minute from a Stored Timestamp

MINUTE is often used on timestamps already stored in logs, records, or imported data.

=MINUTE(B2)

If B2 contains 22:45:00, the result is 45. This makes the function useful for time-based grouping and analysis.

Example 3 - Build a Minute-Based Logical Test

You can use MINUTE inside a condition to classify times within the hour.

=MINUTE(B2)<30

This returns TRUE when the time falls in the first half of the hour and FALSE otherwise. It is a simple pattern for rules and alerts.

Example 4 - Turn the Result into a Label

Combine MINUTE with text when you want a display label instead of just the number.

=MINUTE(B2)&" mins"

This is useful for dashboards, summaries, or helper columns where a more readable label makes the result easier to scan.

Conclusion Recap

• Summary: MINUTE returns the minute component of a time value.
• Output: It returns a whole number from 0 to 59.
• Common uses: Timestamp analysis, grouping, logical tests, and helper columns.
• Input flexibility: It can work with valid time text, decimals, and formula results.
• Display tip: Use TEXT for formatting and MINUTE for numeric logic.
• Related functions: Use HOUR and SECOND to extract other time parts.