24-Hour to 12-Hour Time Converter
Convert military time (24-hour format) to standard time (12-hour format) with our easy-to-use converter tool.
Military Time to Standard Time Converter
Common 24-Hour to 12-Hour Conversions
| Military Time (24-hour) | Standard Time (12-hour) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 0000 | 12:00 AM | Zero-hundred hours |
| 0100 | 1:00 AM | Zero-one-hundred hours |
| 0600 | 6:00 AM | Zero-six-hundred hours |
| 0900 | 9:00 AM | Zero-nine-hundred hours |
| 1200 | 12:00 PM | Twelve-hundred hours |
| 1500 | 3:00 PM | Fifteen-hundred hours |
| 1730 | 5:30 PM | Seventeen-thirty hours |
| 2000 | 8:00 PM | Twenty-hundred hours |
| 2359 | 11:59 PM | Twenty-three fifty-nine hours |
How to Convert 24-Hour Time to 12-Hour Time
Converting from the 24-hour clock (military time) to the 12-hour clock (standard time) is a fundamental skill for anyone working with international schedules, military operations, healthcare, aviation, or simply traveling to countries that use the 24-hour format. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the conversion process with clear examples and practical applications.
Step-by-Step Conversion Process
Determine if the time is AM or PM
For 24-hour time:
- Hours 0000 through 1159 are AM
- Hours 1200 through 2359 are PM
Convert the hour component
For hours 0000-1159 (AM hours):
- If the hour is 00, change it to 12 (for 12 AM)
- For hours 01-12, simply remove the leading zero if present
For hours 1200-2359 (PM hours):
- If the hour is 12, keep it as 12 (for 12 PM)
- For hours 13-23, subtract 12 to get the PM hour
Format the minutes
Keep the minutes exactly the same, just add a colon between hours and minutes.
Add the AM or PM suffix
Add AM for times from 12:00 AM (0000) through 11:59 AM (1159).
Add PM for times from 12:00 PM (1200) through 11:59 PM (2359).
Conversion Formula for 24-Hour to 12-Hour Time
The mathematical formula for converting 24-hour time to 12-hour time is:
For hours 0-11: Hour = Hour (add AM)
For hour 0: Hour = 12 (add AM)
For hour 12: Hour = 12 (add PM)
For hours 13-23: Hour = Hour - 12 (add PM)
Military Time Zone Designations
When working with military time across different time zones, you may encounter letter suffixes that indicate specific time zones. These suffixes are based on the NATO phonetic alphabet and are standardized worldwide:
| Letter Code | Time Zone | Offset from UTC |
|---|---|---|
| Z (Zulu) | Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) | UTC+0 |
| A (Alpha) | Alpha Time Zone | UTC+1 |
| E (Echo) | Eastern Standard Time (EST) | UTC-5 |
| J (Juliet) | Japan Standard Time | UTC+9 |
| R (Romeo) | Central European Time | UTC+1 |
Common Conversion Scenarios
From 0000 to 0059 (Midnight hour)
Since 00 is the midnight hour, convert it to 12 and add AM.
From 1200 to 1259 (Noon hour)
Since 12 is the noon hour, keep it as 12 and add PM.
From 1300 to 2359 (Afternoon/Evening hours)
Subtract 12 from the hour (18-12=6) and add PM.
Applications of 24-Hour to 12-Hour Conversion
International Travel
Flight schedules, train timetables, and public transportation in many countries use the 24-hour format. Converting to your familiar 12-hour format can help avoid travel confusion.
Healthcare Settings
Medical records, medication schedules, and shift schedules often use 24-hour time to prevent AM/PM confusion, which could be critical in patient care.
Programming and Development
Converting between time formats is essential in software development, especially for applications with international users or systems that need to display times in different formats.
Multinational Business
Global companies often schedule meetings using 24-hour time to avoid confusion across time zones and different cultural norms for time notation.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to adjust the midnight hour: Remember that 0000 converts to 12:00 AM, not 0:00 AM.
- Miscalculating afternoon hours: Make sure to subtract exactly 12 from hours 13 through 23.
- Confusing noon and midnight: 1200 is 12:00 PM (noon), while 0000 is 12:00 AM (midnight).
- Omitting leading zeros in the final format: In standard time, it's customary to write 9:05 AM, not 9:5 AM.
Visual 24-Hour to 12-Hour Conversion Chart
Frequently Asked Questions
In military time, midnight can be expressed as either 0000 (the beginning of the day) or 2400 (the end of the day). When referring to the beginning of a new day, 0000 is used. When referring to the end of the current day, 2400 may be used. Both convert to 12:00 AM in standard time.
The minutes remain the same in both formats. For example, to convert 1435:
- Since 14 is greater than 12, subtract 12: 14 - 12 = 2
- Keep the minutes the same: 35
- Add PM because the original hour was greater than 12
- Result: 2:35 PM
Many countries use the 24-hour format as the standard in official contexts, including most European countries, many Asian countries, Latin American countries, and parts of Africa. Countries where the 24-hour clock is commonly used include:
- France, Germany, Spain, and most other European countries
- Russia and most former Soviet states
- China, Japan, and many other Asian countries
- Most of Latin America
The United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom often use 12-hour format in everyday contexts, but may use 24-hour format in specific sectors like healthcare, military, and transportation.
Yes, military forces around the world use the 24-hour time format, often referred to as "military time" in the United States. However, military organizations also add specific conventions:
- They typically omit the colon between hours and minutes
- They often add a time zone designator (like "Z" for Zulu time, which is UTC)
- They pronounce times distinctively (e.g., "fifteen hundred hours" for 1500)
These conventions help eliminate confusion in military operations where precise timing is crucial.
Need to Convert in the Other Direction?
If you need to convert from standard 12-hour time to military 24-hour time, we've got you covered with our dedicated converter tool.