Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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 2021
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 2021. 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 2021. 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! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!
When creating macros, it is often necessary to change from one type of data to another. Here's how you can change from a ...
Discover MoreNeed to click on a cell and have it replaced with an "X"? Macros make it easy to do, as illustrated in this tip.
Discover MoreSometimes, when you upgrade to a new version of Excel, you could run into a problem recording macros that you had no ...
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 © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments