The actual whole blood donation only takes about ten minutes; however, there are steps that come before and after donation to keep donors healthy and the blood supply safe. In general, the entire blood donation process takes about 45 minutes to one hour. Actual times vary by site and the number of people donating that day. It also depends on the type of donation made, where a whole blood donation takes less time than a plasma or platelet donation. However, plasma and platelet donations can be done more often than a whole blood donation.