Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Inserting the Current Time with Seconds.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 1, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365
As you have learned in other ExcelTips, you can use Ctrl+: (that's a colon) to enter the current time into a cell. The resulting cell value is equal to the hours and minutes of the current time. In other words, the seconds will always be zero.
If you want to insert the current time and have it include the seconds, the best way is to use a macro. You can then assign the macro to a keyboard shortcut or add it to the Quick Access Toolbar (or both) so it can be immediately popped into place. The following macro will do the trick nicely:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Sub TimeStamp()
ActiveCell.Value = Time
ActiveCell.NumberFormat = "h:mm:ss AM/PM"
End Sub
Notice that the time is placed in the cell and then the cell is formatted to show hours, minutes, and seconds.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (10635) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Inserting the Current Time with Seconds.
Program Successfully in Excel! John Walkenbach's name is synonymous with excellence in deciphering complex technical topics. With this comprehensive guide, "Mr. Spreadsheet" shows how to maximize your Excel experience using professional spreadsheet application development tips from his own personal bookshelf. Check out Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA today!
Logical structures are important in programming, as they allow you to control how the programming statements are ...
Discover MorePart of writing macros is to make sure they work as you expect. This involves a process known as debugging. Here's how ...
Discover MoreWhen working with colors in Excel you can specify them using either RGB or HSL values. Converting from HSL to RGB can be ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2021-05-01 16:24:20
J. Conklin
If you want to insert the current time with seconds but without a macro, do the following:
1) set the cell to have the following custom format: dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss
I use "military" or "European" date format since that's the one used when I'm working on genealogy. If you prefer U.S. date format, set the custom format to mmm-dd-yyyy
2) in that cell, enter =NOW()
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2022 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments