12 Hour to 24 Hour Time Converter

Table of contents:

Let's start with learning whats the current time in 12-hour and 24-hour format:

Convert 24 hours (military) to 12 hours (standard) time

Are you interested in calculating military (24-hours) time? Use our calculator below to make your conversion.


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Each day has 24 hours. Converting from 24-hour time to 12-hour time can cause confusion.


AM = first 12 hours of the day
PM = next 12 hours of the day

Converting 24-Hour Time to 12-Hour Time


  • To convert from PM to 24 hours you need to add 12 (add 12 to the first hour of the day and include “AM.”).
  • Include the signifier “AM” for times between 1:00 and 11:59.
  • Add the signifier “PM” for 12:00 to 12:59.
  • To convert from 24hours to PM you subtract time (Subtract 12 from 13:00 to 23:59 and include “PM”).

Changing 12-Hour Time to 24-Hour Time

  • Use 00:00 to signify midnight in a 24-hour time.
  • Eliminate “AM” for the hours between 1:00 and 11:59 AM.
  • Leave the noon hour as-is, but remove "PM."
  • Add 12 to the hours between 1:00 and 11:59 PM and eliminate "PM.

Tip: Use the following conversion image to familiarize yourself with the 12 vs 24h concept.


Converting AM/PM to 24-hour clock

  • 12:33 AM = 0:33
  • 11:50 AM = 11:50
  • 4:23 PM = 16:23
  • 11:51 PM = 23:51

Converting 24 hour clock to AM/PM

  • 0:15 = 12:15 AM
  • 2:22 = 2:22 AM
  • 12:30 = 12:30 PM
  • 14:07 = 2:07 PM
  • 23:47=11:47 PM


12-24 Time Conversion Chart - Military conversion table

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the 24-Hour Clock (military time) and AM/PM:

12-hour am-pm clock

24-hour military clock

12:00 midnight (start of the day)

00:00

01 : 00 am

01 : 00

02 : 00 am

02 : 00

03 : 00 am

03 : 00

04 : 00 am

04 : 00

05 : 00 am

05 : 00

06 : 00 am

06 : 00

07 : 00 am

07 : 00

08 : 00 am

08 : 00

09 : 00 am

09 : 00

10 : 00 am

10 : 00

11 : 00 am

11 : 00

12 : 00 pm

12 : 00

01 : 00 pm

13 : 00

02 : 00 pm

14 : 00

03 : 00 pm

15 : 00

04 : 00 pm

16 : 00

05 : 00 pm

17 : 00

06 : 00 pm

18 : 00

07 : 00 pm

19 : 00

08 : 00 pm

20 : 00

09 : 00 pm

21 : 00

10 : 00 pm

22 : 00

11 : 00 pm

23 : 00

12:00 midnight (end of the day)

24:00


Note: "12 AM" and "12 PM" can cause confusion, so we prefer "12 Midnight" and "12 Noon".

24-hour clock – where is it used?
The 24-hour time clock system is the most used in the world and is the international standard notation of time. (ISO 8601).

The United States, Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia or New Zealand the 12-hour AM/PM format is still more commonly used. In these countries, the 24-hour format is called 'Military time'.

Should "AM" be "ante meridiem" or "ante meridian" (likewise for PM)?

The official (according to an American, Australian and British dictionary I checked), and most common spelling for AM is "ante meridiem" which is a Latin phrase. I recommend that spelling!

But people sometimes use the phrase "ante meridian" (a "meridian" in this case refers to an imaginary line in the sky when the sun is at its highest point).

The 24-hour time format is usually used in transportation, medical and military industries to avoid confusion. Additionally, the 24-hour clock is also called railway/railroad time, military time and continental time.