diff --git a/app/graphql/mutations/timelogs/create.rb b/app/graphql/mutations/timelogs/create.rb
index 1be023eed8a8b2da111aca8ee8e9e52820cd4ffd..4caea414175386e3175292a516c766d7feae15c6 100644
--- a/app/graphql/mutations/timelogs/create.rb
+++ b/app/graphql/mutations/timelogs/create.rb
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ class Create < Base
 
       argument :spent_at,
                Types::TimeType,
-               required: true,
-               description: 'When the time was spent.'
+               required: false,
+               description: 'Timestamp of when the time was spent. If empty, defaults to current time.'
 
       argument :summary,
                GraphQL::Types::String,
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class Create < Base
 
       authorize :create_timelog
 
-      def resolve(issuable_id:, time_spent:, spent_at:, summary:, **args)
+      def resolve(issuable_id:, time_spent:, summary:, **args)
         parsed_time_spent = Gitlab::TimeTrackingFormatter.parse(time_spent)
         if parsed_time_spent.nil?
           return { timelog: nil, errors: [_('Time spent must be formatted correctly. For example: 1h 30m.')] }
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ def resolve(issuable_id:, time_spent:, spent_at:, summary:, **args)
 
         issuable = authorized_find!(id: issuable_id)
 
+        spent_at = args[:spent_at].nil? ? DateTime.current : args[:spent_at]
+
         result = ::Timelogs::CreateService.new(
           issuable, parsed_time_spent, spent_at, summary, current_user
         ).execute
diff --git a/doc/api/graphql/reference/index.md b/doc/api/graphql/reference/index.md
index 0273b6bbfd2a1aedc8e8df4fba2b7258eb729fcf..0a8b39cf4059e4d5c67aa67b1a6f7c04d281514c 100644
--- a/doc/api/graphql/reference/index.md
+++ b/doc/api/graphql/reference/index.md
@@ -8212,7 +8212,7 @@ Input type: `TimelogCreateInput`
 | ---- | ---- | ----------- |
 | <a id="mutationtimelogcreateclientmutationid"></a>`clientMutationId` | [`String`](#string) | A unique identifier for the client performing the mutation. |
 | <a id="mutationtimelogcreateissuableid"></a>`issuableId` | [`IssuableID!`](#issuableid) | Global ID of the issuable (Issue, WorkItem or MergeRequest). |
-| <a id="mutationtimelogcreatespentat"></a>`spentAt` | [`Time!`](#time) | When the time was spent. |
+| <a id="mutationtimelogcreatespentat"></a>`spentAt` | [`Time`](#time) | Timestamp of when the time was spent. If empty, defaults to current time. |
 | <a id="mutationtimelogcreatesummary"></a>`summary` | [`String!`](#string) | Summary of time spent. |
 | <a id="mutationtimelogcreatetimespent"></a>`timeSpent` | [`String!`](#string) | Amount of time spent. |
 
diff --git a/doc/user/project/time_tracking.md b/doc/user/project/time_tracking.md
index b15966722b66095003de042e48c43bba17e56cfd..03666abb09bc8f85d0d25b952e35ca6485a94995 100644
--- a/doc/user/project/time_tracking.md
+++ b/doc/user/project/time_tracking.md
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ Prerequisites:
 #### Using the user interface
 
 > - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/101563) in GitLab 15.7.
+> - [Changed](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/150564) in GitLab 17.0. When you don't specify when time was spent, current time is used.
 
 To add a time entry using the user interface:
 
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ To add a time entry using the user interface:
 1. Enter:
 
    - The amount of time spent.
-   - Optional. When it was spent.
+   - Optional. When it was spent. If empty, uses current time.
    - Optional. A summary.
 
 1. Select **Save**.
diff --git a/spec/support/shared_examples/graphql/mutations/timelogs/create_shared_examples.rb b/spec/support/shared_examples/graphql/mutations/timelogs/create_shared_examples.rb
index c6402a89f02dc2604ecb79aca6ad34007cc1a23f..23dd195e626c243941b47dfa6df98e406d11e49d 100644
--- a/spec/support/shared_examples/graphql/mutations/timelogs/create_shared_examples.rb
+++ b/spec/support/shared_examples/graphql/mutations/timelogs/create_shared_examples.rb
@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@
 
 RSpec.shared_examples 'issuable supports timelog creation mutation' do
   let(:mutation_response) { graphql_mutation_response(:timelog_create) }
-  let(:mutation) do
-    variables = {
+  let(:spent_at) { '2022-11-16T12:59:35+0100' }
+  let(:mutation) { graphql_mutation(:timelogCreate, variables) }
+
+  let(:variables) do
+    {
       'time_spent' => time_spent,
-      'spent_at' => '2022-11-16T12:59:35+0100',
+      'spent_at' => spent_at,
       'summary' => 'Test summary',
       'issuable_id' => issuable.to_global_id.to_s
     }
-    graphql_mutation(:timelogCreate, variables)
   end
 
   context 'when the user is anonymous' do
@@ -56,6 +58,30 @@
       end
     end
 
+    context 'when spent_at is not provided', time_travel_to: '2024-04-23 22:50:00 +0200' do
+      let(:variables) do
+        {
+          'time_spent' => time_spent,
+          'summary' => 'Test summary',
+          'issuable_id' => issuable.to_global_id.to_s
+        }
+      end
+
+      it 'creates the timelog using the current time' do
+        expect do
+          post_graphql_mutation(mutation, current_user: current_user)
+        end.to change { Timelog.count }.by(1)
+
+        expect(response).to have_gitlab_http_status(:success)
+        expect(mutation_response['errors']).to be_empty
+        expect(mutation_response['timelog']).to include(
+          'timeSpent' => 3600,
+          'spentAt' => '2024-04-23T20:50:00Z',
+          'summary' => 'Test summary'
+        )
+      end
+    end
+
     context 'with invalid time_spent' do
       let(:time_spent) { '3h e' }