Enter a timecode, a frame count, or seconds and the other two update as you type. Pick a frame rate, including 29.97 and 59.94 drop frame, and paste or type timecodes the way you do in your editor.
Frame rate
Switching the frame rate keeps the total frame count and changes the timecode shown. To keep the same running time at a new rate, use Frame rate conversion below.
Timecode
00:00:10:00
Timecode
Type two digits per box, or type all eight digits (23324512) starting in the hours box. You can also paste 23:32:45:12.
Total frames
Seconds
Actual fps
29.970
Frame duration
33.37 ms
Counting
Non-drop
Clock time
00:00:10.010
Add or subtract timecodes
Timecode A
Type two digits per box, or type all eight digits (23324512) starting in the hours box. You can also paste 23:32:45:12.
Timecode B
Type two digits per box, or type all eight digits (23324512) starting in the hours box. You can also paste 23:32:45:12.
Result
00:01:15:00
2,250 frames / 75.075 seconds
Frame rate conversion
Shows the timecode for the same running time at another frame rate, rounded to the nearest frame. It uses the timecode entered above.
Target frame rate
Timecode at 25 fps
00:00:10:00
250 frames (same running time: 10.010 seconds)
TIP
Non-drop counts whole frames per second (30 or 60) even though 29.97 and 59.94 fps run slightly slower. On long programs the timecode falls behind the wall clock. Choose a DF rate if your material uses drop frame.
What SMPTE timecode is and how it maps to frames and seconds
SMPTE timecode labels every frame of a video with a position in the form hours:minutes:seconds:frames (HH:MM:SS:FF). The last field counts frames, and its highest value depends on the frame rate. At 24 fps it runs from 00 to 23. At 29.97 fps it runs from 00 to 29.
This converter turns a timecode, a total frame count, and a time in seconds into one another. Change any of the three and the other two follow. It supports 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, and 60 fps, and for 29.97 and 59.94 you can choose drop frame (DF) or non-drop frame (NDF) counting.
Timecodes can be typed into four boxes, typed as eight digits in a row (23324512), or pasted as 23:32:45:12 from your editing software. The tool also adds and subtracts two timecodes to get a duration, shows the clock time as HH:MM:SS.mmm, and converts a position to another frame rate while keeping the running time.
Where timecode math comes up
Turn an editor timecode into seconds
Copy the playhead position from your editing software and paste it into any timecode box. You get the elapsed seconds for show notes, cue sheets, or a script.
Turn a frame count into a timecode
Render logs, game engines, and scripts often report frame numbers. Enter the number to see where it falls on the timeline.
Work out a clip's duration
Subtract the in point from the out point, or add several clip lengths together, using the timecode math panel.
Find the same moment at another frame rate
Keep the running time of a 24 fps cut and see its timecode and frame count at 25 or 29.97 fps.
Check a drop frame timecode
Switch between 29.97 DF and NDF to see how the same frame count is labeled in each, and how far non-drop drifts from the clock.
Get the clock time of a frame
The Clock time card shows the real elapsed time as HH:MM:SS.mmm, which is useful when another tool asks for a time rather than a timecode.
Steps: from timecode to frames and seconds, and back
- Select the frame rate of your project or clip. For 29.97 and 59.94 fps, choose drop frame (DF) or non-drop frame (NDF).
- Enter a timecode. Type two digits per box, type eight digits from the hours box, or paste something like 23:32:45:12.
- Or type a value into Total frames or Seconds. The other fields update right away.
- Use Copy next to any result to copy it.
- For a duration, use Add or subtract timecodes. To see the same moment at another rate, use Frame rate conversion.
Note: Focus moves to the next box after two digits. The left and right arrow keys move between boxes, and the up and down arrow keys change a value by one. Switch to single-field mode if you prefer to type the whole timecode in one box.
Limits and edge cases
- Drop frame counting follows the standard rule: skip two frame numbers per minute at 29.97 fps and four at 59.94 fps, except in minutes divisible by 10. For delivery-critical work, compare the result with the value shown in the software you deliver from.
- Drop frame does not remove video frames. It only changes how frames are numbered.
- A drop frame timecode that does not exist, such as 00:01:00;00 at 29.97 fps, is moved to the next valid frame.
- In single-field mode, digits fill from the right: frames, seconds, minutes, then hours. Typing 4512 gives 00:00:45:12.
- Subtracting a larger timecode from a smaller one gives 00:00:00:00, not a negative value.
- The timecode display wraps to zero after 24 hours. The Total frames and Seconds values keep counting, so use them for longer material.
- Seconds are shown to three decimals. A time typed in seconds is rounded to the nearest whole frame.
- The converter runs in your browser and does not send what you enter to a server.
Frame rate reference: 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, and 60 fps
The rates in this tool, with the actual rate used in calculations and where each is typically used.
| Frame rate | Actual rate | Typical use | Drop frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23.976 fps | 24000/1001 | Film-style video, common in streaming and disc masters | No |
| 24 fps | 24 | Cinema and film | No |
| 25 fps | 25 | Broadcast video in PAL regions, such as the UK and much of Europe | No |
| 29.97 fps | 30000/1001 | Broadcast video in NTSC regions, such as the US, Canada, and Japan | DF or NDF |
| 30 fps | 30 | Online video and some cameras | No |
| 50 fps | 50 | High frame rate video in PAL regions | No |
| 59.94 fps | 60000/1001 | Fast-motion NTSC-region video, such as sports | DF or NDF |
| 60 fps | 60 | Online video and screen capture | No |
The right rate depends on your camera and project settings. If you are unsure, check the clip's properties in your editor or a media info tool.
Drop frame vs non-drop frame, explained
The points that cause the most mistakes when you work with timecode.
A timecode only makes sense with its frame rate
01:00:00:00 is a different number of frames at different rates. At 24 fps it is 86,400 frames, and at 30 fps it is 108,000.
Before you convert anything, confirm the frame rate of the clip or project, including whether it is drop frame or non-drop.
Why drop frame exists
NTSC-region video runs at 30000/1001 fps, about 29.97, not 30. Counting 30 numbers per second makes the timecode lag the wall clock by roughly 3.6 seconds per hour.
Drop frame skips frame numbers 00 and 01 at the start of each minute, except every tenth minute. That removes 108 numbers per hour and keeps the timecode close to real time. At 59.94 fps, four numbers are skipped each time, or 216 per hour.
Frames to seconds at 29.97 and 59.94 fps
To get real elapsed seconds, divide the frame count by 30000/1001 (or 60000/1001), not by 30 or 60. Dividing by 30 gives the seconds shown on the timecode, which is a little shorter than the clock.
This converter uses the actual rate, so the Seconds value matches elapsed time.
Fast entry: eight digits or a paste
Typing into four boxes with the mouse is slow and easy to get wrong. Start in the hours box and type eight digits in a row, or paste a timecode such as 23:32:45:12.
To change a single field, click it and edit it. The up and down arrow keys step it by one and wrap at the limit.
Reusing a frame count at another frame rate
The same frame count lasts a different time at each rate. 2,400 frames run 100 seconds at 24 fps and 80 seconds at 30 fps.
To keep the running time, convert by seconds, as the Frame rate conversion panel does, and let the frame count change.
Common timecode mistakes and fixes
Mixing up drop frame and non-drop frame
A drop frame program is calculated as non-drop, or the reverse. The two can differ by seconds on long programs, and the error is easy to miss.
💡 See the solution▼
Dividing frames by 30 to get seconds at 29.97 fps
The result is the timecode time, not elapsed time. On a one-hour program it is off by about 3.6 seconds.
💡 See the solution▼
Typing a timecode into the wrong boxes
Minutes and seconds get swapped, or the frames box is left empty when you copy a value by eye.
💡 See the solution▼
Missing the 24-hour wrap
On very long material, the timecode returns to 00:00:00:00 and the program looks shorter than it is.
💡 See the solution▼
Adding timecodes from different frame rates
A 24 fps timecode and a 29.97 fps timecode are added as if they used the same rate, so the total is wrong.
💡 See the solution▼
Timecode, frame count, and drop frame questions
Q.Can I type a timecode as eight digits, like 23324512?
A. Yes. Start in the hours box and keep typing. Focus jumps to the next box after every two digits, so eight digits fill HH:MM:SS:FF without touching the mouse. In single-field mode, digits fill from the right: frames first, then seconds, minutes, and hours. Typing 4512 gives 00:00:45:12. If you enter more than eight digits, only the last eight are used.
Q.Can I paste a timecode copied from my editing software?
A. Yes. Paste text like 23:32:45:12, 23:32:45;12, or 23.32.45.12 into any box and the tool reads it as one full timecode. It splits the text on anything that is not a digit and uses the last four number groups, filling from the right. The separator you paste does not switch drop frame on or off. Choose DF or NDF with the frame-rate buttons.
Q.What is the difference between drop frame (DF) and non-drop frame (NDF) timecode?
A. 29.97 fps video runs slightly slower than 30 fps, but non-drop timecode still counts 30 numbers per second. Over an hour the timecode falls about 3.6 seconds (108 frames) behind the wall clock. Drop frame fixes the display by skipping two frame numbers (00 and 01) at the start of every minute, except minutes 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50. No video frames are removed. Only the numbering changes. At 59.94 fps, four numbers are skipped instead of two.
Q.Why does drop frame use a semicolon instead of a colon?
A. By common convention, a semicolon before the frames field marks drop frame, and a colon marks non-drop. For example, 01:00:00;02 is drop frame and 01:00:00:02 is non-drop. This tool shows a semicolon whenever a DF frame rate is selected.
Q.What happens if I enter a drop frame timecode that does not exist?
A. At 29.97 DF, frame numbers 00 and 01 do not exist at the start of any minute that is not a multiple of 10. So 00:01:00;00 and 00:01:00;01 are invalid. If you type or paste one, the tool moves it to the next valid frame, 00:01:00;02. At 59.94 DF the first four numbers are skipped, so the same correction lands on ;04.
Q.How do I convert frames to timecode?
A. Select your frame rate, then type the frame count into the Total frames box. The timecode and seconds update right away. The count is treated as frames from 00:00:00:00, so 1,800 frames at 24 fps is 00:01:15:00.
Q.How do I convert seconds to timecode?
A. Select your frame rate and type the time into the Seconds box. Decimals such as 90.5 are fine. The tool multiplies seconds by the actual frame rate (for example 30000/1001 for 29.97 fps), rounds to the nearest whole frame, and shows the matching timecode and frame count.
Q.Which frame rate should I choose?
A. Use the rate in your project or clip settings. NTSC-region video (the US, Canada, and Japan) is usually 29.97 or 59.94 fps, and drop frame is often used for broadcast delivery. Film-style projects are usually 24 or 23.976 fps, and PAL regions use 25 or 50 fps. If you are not sure, check the clip's properties in your editor or in a media info tool.
Q.How do I add or subtract two timecodes?
A. Use the Add or subtract timecodes panel. Enter timecode A and timecode B, then choose Add or Subtract. Both use the frame rate selected at the top, and the result shows as a timecode, a frame count, and seconds. If B is larger than A when subtracting, the result is 00:00:00:00. This is how you get a clip's duration from its in and out points, or the total length of several clips.
Q.What is the difference between changing the frame rate and using frame rate conversion?
A. Changing the frame rate at the top keeps the total frame count and changes how it is displayed, so the running time changes. Frame rate conversion keeps the running time in seconds and recalculates the frame count for a new rate, rounded to the nearest frame. Use it to see where a point in a 24 fps cut falls at 29.97 fps, for example.
Q.What happens past 24 hours?
A. The timecode display covers 00:00:00:00 to 23:59:59 plus the last frame, then wraps back to zero, as SMPTE timecode does. The tool calculates the wrap point from the frame rate. For drop frame it accounts for the skipped numbers, so the number of frames in 24 hours is slightly lower than at a whole-number rate. Total frames and seconds are not wrapped, so check those if your material is longer than 24 hours.
Q.Is anything I enter sent to a server?
A. No. The conversions run in your browser, and the converter does not send the timecodes, frame counts, or seconds you type to a server.
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