Excel VBA code "Application.OnTime" skips seconds

Question

I have a timer within Excel VBA code which did run smooth untill 6 weeks ago. Please see the code below. I use this timer in a workbook. I use 2 identical copies of this workbook (with different names). I run these 2 workbooks in 2 separate instances of Excel (using Windows11-button > Run > excel /x > Enter) on my workstation. Next I run the code below in both workbooks. This always functioned perfectly: updating the clock every second in cell K1.

Since 6 weeks ago the code skips a few seconds now and then: jumping from 20:15:00 to 20:15:07 for example instead of 20:15:01. This happens specifically if I run 2 workbooks. Running 1 workbook is still running smooth.

Sub UPDATECLOCK()

ThisWorkbook.Sheets(1).Range("K1") = Time

NextTick = Now + TimeValue("00:00:01")

Application.OnTime NextTick, "UPDATECLOCK"

End Sub


Sub StopClock()

On Error Resume Next
Application.OnTime NextTick, "updateclock", , False

Stop


End Sub

My workstation has enough cores and memory to do this simple task. I have also reinstalled an image from 6 months ago. I have updated Office 365. I have switched Personal and Business Office 365. Although I do not succeed to solve the issue.

Any idea what can be the cause and solution for this issue?

Thanks a lot!

Your machine is busy doing something else at that moment. Probably something that wasn't clashing until 6 weeks ago. The OnTime command adds a request to run no sooner than 1 second later, but there are no guarantees it'll fire at that moment. Excel is not set up to take that kind of priority over your machine. — CLR
– CLR, Commented Jun 17 at 10:38
@CLR Thank you. I did also test it on another machine resulting in the same issue. In the task manager the CPU is at 1%. Can there be something specific clashing with Excel? — user2165379
– user2165379, Commented Jun 17 at 17:40
Using the timer in such a way is very usually the indication of a wrong approach in general. What exactly you are trying to achieve? — Sergey A Kryukov
– Sergey A Kryukov, Commented Jun 17 at 22:59
@Tragamor Thank you. That is a very interesting link. I will check this and post the outcome. — user2165379
– user2165379, Commented Jun 18 at 7:47

Jerry · Accepted Answer · 2025-06-19 03:04:59Z

-1

Try copy/paste your macro into Notepad. Then copy your code from Notepad and paste it into a clean, new workbook - not previously used for anything. Now run that version of the macro and see what occurs.

For what it is worth, I ran your macro here without any issues. Runs fine.

answered Jun 19 at 3:04

Jerry

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3 Comments

user2165379 Jun 20 at 13:07

Thank you, I have tried, although this does not solve my issue. Are you using Office 365 on Windows as I do?

user2165379 Jun 21 at 8:29

ps: and sorry for downvoating your answer. I can't undo. I ment it was no solution for my issue, although it is a good answer.

Jerry Jul 2 at 17:33

Running Excel 2007 on Win 11

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