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Fix Microsoft Bookings Showing Hourly Times Instead of 30-Minute Slots

Maira Mehtab Sep 24, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where a scheduling service only displays hourly available times despite being configured for 30-minute increments.

Product: Microsoft Bookings
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up a booking service with 1-hour meeting durations and 30-minute time increments across separate morning and afternoon availability windows.
Observed behavior: The public booking page ignores the 30-minute increment configuration and only displays appointment slots at the top of every hour.

Before you start

Log in to your Microsoft 365 portal with administrator access to ensure you have the necessary permissions to edit the Bookings calendar and service settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Service Settings and Remove Buffer Times

Check the specific service configuration for conflicting buffer times or staff availability blocks that might force the system into hourly increments.

When Microsoft Bookings calculates available time slots, it evaluates the service duration, time increment, and any added buffer times. If buffer times are enabled alongside a 1-hour meeting duration, the system may skip 30-minute increments to avoid scheduling conflicts.

Open Service Configuration

Navigate to the Microsoft Bookings dashboard and select 'Services' from the left navigation pane, then click on the specific service you are troubleshooting.

Check Scheduling Policy

Scroll to the 'Scheduling policy' section. Ensure the 'Time increments' dropdown is explicitly set to '30 minutes'.

Disable Buffer Times

Locate the 'Buffer time your customers can't book' toggle. If it is turned on, toggle it off to see if the 30-minute slots reappear. Buffer times appended to a 1-hour meeting often push the next available slot to the next full hour.

Verify Staff Availability Settings

Go to the 'Staff' menu, select the assigned staff members, and ensure their working hours perfectly align with the morning and afternoon availability windows defined in the service settings.

Solution 2

Report the Issue to Microsoft Bookings Support

If all service and staff configurations are correct and the bug persists, seek assistance directly from Microsoft and the community.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Microsoft Bookings ignoring my 30-minute time increments?

This commonly occurs if you have buffer times configured before or after the appointment. The system adds the buffer to your 1-hour meeting, forcing the next available slot into a layout that skips the intended 30-minute increment.

Can staff calendar events affect 30-minute booking intervals?

Yes. If an assigned staff member has an event on their synced Outlook calendar that fragments their schedule, Bookings will adjust the public-facing slots. Ensure staff calendars are free of conflicting custom blocks.

How do morning and afternoon availability windows impact time increments?

If the exact start and end times of your morning or afternoon windows do not divide perfectly by your service duration plus time increment, Bookings might round to the nearest hour to maximize available slots without overlapping the break period.

Where can I report a persistent bug in Microsoft Bookings?

You can report bugs by opening a service request in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center under the Support tab, or by discussing the issue with specialists on the official Microsoft Bookings Tech Community forum.

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