SECOND Function
Returns the second portion (0-59) of a time value.
Syntax
Parameters
| Parameter | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| serial_number | A date-time serial (or a time fraction). The integer part is a date and the fractional part is the time; the second is taken from the fractional part. | Required |
Basic Example
Get the second from a time
=SECOND(TIME(12, 30, 45))TIME(12,30,45) is 12:30:45 PM, so SECOND returns 45.
Advanced Examples
Example 1: Extract second from a date-time serial
A timestamp like 2024-01-15 12:30:00SECOND reads the fractional time part
=SECOND(45305.520833)Example 2: Seconds from a precise time
Capturing sub-minute precisionSECOND returns the seconds component
=SECOND(TIME(9, 15, 30))How SECOND Works
SECOND takes the fractional part of the serial (the time-of-day component), multiplies it by 86400 (seconds in a day), and returns the remainder after removing whole minutes, giving an integer from 0 to 59. The date portion is ignored.
Important Notes & Limitations
SECOND ignores the date portion entirely.
A value with no time fraction (a whole number) returns 0.
It accepts only valid serials; text times must be converted first.
Common Errors & Fixes
#VALUE!The argument is text that Excel cannot parse as a time.Fix: Convert the text to a real time serial first (e.g. with TIMEVALUE).
Returns 0 unexpectedlyThe serial is a whole number with no time part, or the time has zero seconds.Fix: Make sure the value actually contains a non-zero second.
Download Practice File
SECOND
secondPractice SECOND with Real Data
Download a sample CSV file with pre-populated data and practice exercises for the SECOND function. Works in both Excel and Google Sheets.
File format: CSV (comma-separated values) - opens in Excel, Google Sheets, and all spreadsheet apps