How to Make a Running Clock in Excel (2 Easy Ways)

Undoubtedly, while working in Excel, we may need a timer that displays the time within the worksheet. Sounds complex, right? Wrong! In this article, we’ll demonstrate 2 easy ways how to make a running clock in Excel using VBA Code in Excel.

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2 Ways to Make a Running Clock in Excel

Now, the screenshot below represents a digital running clock in Excel. In the following sections, we’ll explore the process of preparing it and the graphical running clock as well. So, let’s see them in action.

Here, we have used the Microsoft Excel 365 version; you may use any other version according to your convenience.

1. Making a Digital Running Clock

First and foremost, let’s begin with a simple digital clock, where we’ll apply the VBA TimeValue function within VBA code to ensure that the process runs automatically in the background and updates every second.

📌 Steps:

• First, navigate to the Developer tab >> click the Visual Basic button.

Now, this opens the Visual Basic Editor in a new window.

• Then, double-click on the ThisWorkbook option.

• Next, in the drop-down, choose the Workbook option.

For your ease of reference, you can copy the code from here and paste it into the window as shown below.

Private Sub workbook_Open()
Dim Hr As Boolean
Hr = Not (Hr)
Do While Hr = True
DoEvents
Range("B4") = TimeValue(Now)
Loop
End Sub

• Second, click the Run button or the F5 key to execute the code.

• Afterward, close the VBA window >> select the B4 cell >> hit the CTRL + 1 keys to go to the Format Cells.

• Later, move to the Time section >> select the Time Format as shown below.

• Third, select the B4:H8 cells >> press Merge & Center.

• Following this, change the font to Digital 7 >> increase the font size to 48.

• In turn, add Outside Border >> choose a Fill Color, here we’ve chosen “light orange”.

Eventually, the results should look like the image shown below.

Read More: How to Use VBA Code for Creating Digital Clock in Excel

2. Creating a Graphical Running Clock

For one thing, we can make a graphical running clock using VBA code and the REPT and TEXT functions of Excel. Here, the REPT function repeats a text a certain number of times while the TEXT function converts a value to text in the specified format.

📌 Steps:

• In the first place, in the Developer tab, proceed to click the Visual Basic button.

• Now, insert a Module from the Insert drop-down.

• Next, copy and paste the code into the Module window, as shown below.

Dim Refresh_Calc As Date

Sub Refresh()

With Sheet1.Range("B3")
.Value = Format(Time, "hh:mm:ss AM/PM")
End With
Call Start_Timer

End Sub

Sub Start_Timer()

Refresh_Calc = Now + TimeValue("00:00:01")
Application.OnTime Refresh_Calc, "Refresh"

End Sub

Sub End_Timer()

On Error Resume Next
Application.OnTime EarliestTime:=Refresh_Calc, Procedure:="Refresh", Schedule:=False

End Sub

• Following this, close the VBA window >> click the Macros button >> run the Start_Timer macro.

Eventually, this inserts the time in the B3 cell.

• Afterward, go to the C4 cell >> insert the TODAY function to get the present date.

• Then, move to the C5 cell >> type in the following expression.

• Similarly, insert the formula below into the C6 cell to get the minutes.

Here, we’ve used the MINUTE and NOW functions to return the current minutes.

• Moreover, enter the C7 cell >> insert the equation into the Formula Bar.

For instance, the SECOND and NOW functions yield the present second.

• Additionally, hide the time value in the B3 cell by changing the text color to white.

Consequently, the final output should appear like the animated GIF shown below.

Read More: How to Create Countdown Timer in Excel (with Easy Steps)

Things to Remember

Last but not least, here are a few things to remember when running the VBA code.

• First of all, to stop the code in the “Making Digital Running Clock.xlsm” workbook, click the Reset button in the VBA Editor.

• Second, in the “Graphical Running Clock.xlsm” workbook, we can use the End_Timer and Refresh macros to stop the clock or refresh the timer.

Practice Section

We have provided a Practice section on the right side of each sheet so you can practice yourself. Please make sure to do it by yourself.

Conclusion

In essence, this article shows 2 effective methods for how to make a running clock in Excel. So, read the full article carefully and download the free workbook to practice. Now, we hope you find this article helpful and if you have any further queries or recommendations, please feel free to comment here. Lastly, visit ExcelDemy for many more articles like this.

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