12:00 is 12:00 PM on a 12-hour clock and "12:00 Hours" in Military Time. We use this system throughout the world (not just the military) and leverages a 24-hour time clock rather than the 12-hour AM/PM system known to most English-speaking countries. Below are ways to convert 12:00 through a time chart, automated calculator, and ways to convert by hand.
| 24-hour format | 12-hour format |
|---|---|
| 12:00 | 12:00 PM |
A quick cheatsheet for all time conversions like 12:00 PM. Click the clock. Select your time. We'll highlight the row for the time you choose.
It is easy to convert from 24-hour time to 12-hour time once you know a few tricks. The primary difference between the two is that the hours in a 24-hour clock go all the way up to 23 (from 0 to 23). In a 12-hour clock, the hour resets to 1 after noon (midday). Follow the steps below to convert 12:00 to 12-hour time.
24-hour time is used in aviation, military, meteorology, logistics, and other fields. The 12-hour clock is only used in 18 countries globally, including the United States and Canada. 24-hour time and military time are very similar! See our military time converter for more information.
| 24 Hour Clock | 12 Hour Clock (AM/PM) | Military Time |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 | 12:00 | 1200 |
| 12:05 | 12:05 | 1205 |
| 12:10 | 12:10 | 1210 |
| 12:15 | 12:15 | 1215 |
| 12:20 | 12:20 | 1220 |
| 12:25 | 12:25 | 1225 |
| 12:30 | 12:30 | 1230 |
| 12:35 | 12:35 | 1235 |
| 12:40 | 12:40 | 1240 |
| 12:45 | 12:45 | 1245 |
| 12:50 | 12:50 | 1250 |
| 12:55 | 12:55 | 1255 |
| 13:00 | 13:00 | 1300 |
| 13:05 | 13:05 | 1305 |
| 13:10 | 13:10 | 1310 |
| 13:15 | 13:15 | 1315 |
12:00 or noon is known as midday is a pivotal part of time and how we distinguish between parts of the day. It is directly between morning and evening, signaling a switch from the beginning of the day to the end. This is an important distinction for two reasons:
1. Noon signifies the change in light. 12PM is when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky and was historically seen on sundials.
2. 12:00 changes time from AM to PM on the 12-hour clock. Hours on military will continue to increase from 12:00, signifying the afternoon hours while the 12-hour clock will restart at 1, adding the pm notation for the afternoon Noon can also be called “solar noon” or “high noon” which is more specifically the time of day when the sun casts the shortest shadow. Again, due to the sun reaching its highest point, shadows will be limited, sometimes stretching before or after daylight savings.
Note: Solar noon and “clock noon” are not the same. Solar noon refers to the distance of the sun compared to its position on the horizon which can be almost 15 minutes different from 12:00 noted on a clock. Plus, daylight savings time and time zone conversions can make solar noon over an hour different than 12:00 clock time.