When the clocks change
72 hours is always 259,200 seconds, but across a daylight-saving change the wall clock moves by an hour. Worked out for noon starts in 2027 (UK changes at 01:00 GMT on the last Sunday of March and October, from GOV.UK; US changes at 02:00 local time on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November):
| Where | Start | 72 hours later |
|---|---|---|
| London, no clock change | Mon 1 Mar, 12:00 | Thu 4 Mar, 12:00 |
| London, clocks go forward 28 Mar 2027 | Fri 26 Mar, 12:00 | Mon 29 Mar, 13:00 |
| London, clocks go back 31 Oct 2027 | Fri 29 Oct, 12:00 | Mon 1 Nov, 11:00 |
| New York, clocks go forward 14 Mar 2027 | Fri 12 Mar, 12:00 | Mon 15 Mar, 13:00 |
| New York, clocks go back 7 Nov 2027 | Fri 5 Nov, 12:00 | Mon 8 Nov, 11:00 |
The box does this for you, using your device's time zone rules.
72 hours in other units
| Unit | 72 hours |
|---|---|
| Days | 3 |
| Minutes | 4,320 |
| Seconds | 259,200 |
| Weeks | 0.43 |
Good uses for a 72-hour count
- A 72-hour return, refund or reply deadline
- A three-day fast, challenge or detox plan
- When a parcel, booking hold or sale ends
- Shipping or "dispatch within 72 hours" promises
Questions and answers
Is 72 hours the same as 3 days?
Yes: 3 × 24 = 72 hours, or 4,320 minutes, or 259,200 seconds. On a normal day it ends at the same clock time three days later. The one exception is a clock change in between, when the clock time moves by an hour (see the table above).
What day is 72 hours from now?
Three days ahead: from a Monday it is Thursday, from a Friday it is Monday. The box gives the exact day and time for your time zone and updates every second.
How do I count down the 72 hours?
Press "Start the countdown". The end time is fixed at that moment and saved in this browser, so the days, hours and minutes left stay right if you close the tab and come back. Copy link shares the same end time.
Can I use another number of hours?
Yes. Type any number of hours (up to 8,760, one year) under "Change it", or switch the unit to days or weeks.
Which time zone does it use?
Yours. The page reads the date and time zone on your device, so near midnight the answer can differ from a friend in another country. The countdown reaches zero at the start of that day (00:00) where you are.