Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Inserting the Current Time with Seconds.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 17, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
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 a toolbar button (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: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later 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 (2012) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Inserting the Current Time with Seconds.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Need to know how to generate a full month name based on a date? It's easy to do, as discussed in this tip.
Discover MoreEnter a date into a cell, and Excel allows you to format that date in a variety of ways. Don't see the date format you ...
Discover MoreDoing math with dates is easy in Excel. Doing math with old dates, such as those you routinely encounter in genealogy, is ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2018-11-29 09:56:26
Naresh
What is the short cut key to insert Time with sec in the excel.
2018-09-11 11:52:51
Rahul Yadav
Is there another way to do that in a normal workbook? Is there any specific formula available to do that?
2017-02-25 22:05:26
DandyLady777
OMG!!! Thank you for this solution. I searched high and low for this answer!!!
2016-12-10 05:42:41
Rick Rothstein
I am confused. When I run the macro without that NumberFormat line of code, the time still goes into the cell correctly, with the seconds, and the cell's format is changed to Custom "h:mm:ss AM/PM" automatically. I do not see why you thought you needed to manually format the cell via the macro. If it makes a difference, I am using XL2010 on Win 8.1.
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon 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