How to Change the Date Format in Excel

The quickest way to change how dates look in Excel

To change a date format in Excel, select the cells containing the dates, right-click, choose Format Cells, click the Number tab, select Date from the Category list on the left, and pick the format you want from the list on the right. Click OK. The dates will display in the new format immediately, but the actual data underneath stays the same.

This works the same way in Excel for Windows and Excel for Mac, though the Mac version has the Format Cells dialog in a slightly different place in the menu.

Key Takeaways

Select your date cells, right-click, and choose Format Cells to open the formatting dialog without changing the underlying data.
Excel offers preset date formats like MM/DD/YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY, and text versions like "January 15, 2024" in the Date category.
You can create a custom date format by typing a code like YYYY-MM-DD or MMM DD, YYYY in the Type field if the presets do not match what you need.
Changing the format only changes how the date appears on screen — the actual date value in the cell does not change, so calculations and sorting still work correctly.

Using the Format Cells dialog in Windows Excel

Open your spreadsheet and click on any cell that contains a date. Then hold Ctrl and click on other date cells to select multiple cells at once, or click and drag to select a range. If all your dates are in one column, you can click the column header to select the entire column.

Right-click on the selected cells and choose Format Cells from the menu that appears. The Format Cells dialog will open. Click the Number tab at the top (it is usually the first tab). In the Category list on the left side, click Date.

The right side of the dialog shows all the date formats Excel has built in. Scroll through the list and click on the format you want. You will see a preview of how your dates will look. Once you find the one you want, click OK at the bottom of the dialog.

Common date formats and when to use them

Excel includes formats for different regions and purposes. MM/DD/YYYY (like 03/15/2024) is the standard in the United States. DD/MM/YYYY (like 15/03/2024) is standard in most of Europe and many other countries. YYYY-MM-DD (like 2024-03-15) is used in technical work and databases because it sorts correctly even as text.

You can also choose formats that spell out the month, like March 15, 2024 or 15 March 2024. Some formats include the day of the week. If you are sharing a file with people in different countries, the YYYY-MM-DD format is usually the safest choice because it is unambiguous — no one will confuse 03/15/2024 with 15/03/2024.

Creating a custom date format

If none of the built-in formats match what you need, you can create your own. Open the Format Cells dialog the same way, go to the Number tab, and click Date in the Category list. At the bottom of the dialog, you will see a field labeled Type that shows the code for the currently selected format.

Click in the Type field and replace the code with your own. Here are the codes Excel uses: YYYY for a four-digit year, YY for a two-digit year, MM for the month as a number, MMM for a three-letter month abbreviation, MMMM for the full month name, DD for the day, and DDDD for the full day name. You can combine these with slashes, dashes, spaces, or other characters.

For example, DD-MMM-YYYY produces 15-Mar-2024. MMMM DD, YYYY produces March 15, 2024. YYYY/MM/DD produces 2024/03/15. Type your custom code and click OK. Excel will save it and use it for those cells.

Changing date format on Mac

The process is nearly identical on Excel for Mac. Select your date cells, then right-click and choose Format Cells. The Format Cells dialog opens. Click the Number tab, select Date from the Category list, and choose your format from the list on the right. Click OK.

On some versions of Mac Excel, you may see the dialog open with tabs across the top instead of on the left side, but the Number tab and Date category are in the same place. If you cannot find Format Cells in the right-click menu, try the menu bar: click Format at the top and look for Format Cells or Cells in the dropdown.

Why your dates might not be changing format

If you select cells and change the format but the dates still look the same, the cells may not actually contain dates — they may contain text that looks like dates. Excel treats text and dates differently. A true date in Excel is a number that represents the days since January 1, 1900. Text that looks like a date is just characters.

To check, click on a cell and look at the formula bar at the top. If the cell contains a date, the formula bar shows the date. If it contains text, the formula bar shows the text exactly as it appears in the cell. If your cells contain text, you will need to convert them to actual dates first before formatting will work. This usually means re-entering them or using a conversion function.

What happens to your data when you change the format

Changing the format only changes how the date appears on your screen. The actual date value stored in the cell does not change. This means sorting, filtering, and calculations all continue to work correctly. If you have a formula that adds days to a date or calculates the difference between two dates, it will still work the same way after you change the format.

You can also change the format back anytime. Select the cells again, open Format Cells, and choose a different format. Your data is safe — you are only changing the appearance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the date format for just one cell instead of a whole column?

Yes. Click on the single cell you want to change, right-click, choose Format Cells, select Date, pick your format, and click OK. You can also select multiple individual cells by holding Ctrl and clicking each one, then format them all at once.

What if I want dates to show the time as well?

In the Format Cells dialog, look for a category called Date Time or Time instead of just Date. Excel has preset formats that include both the date and the time. You can also create a custom format using codes like YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS to show the date and time together.

Will changing the date format affect how the file looks when someone else opens it?

The format will stay the same when you send the file to someone else, as long as they open it in Excel. If they open it in a different program like Google Sheets or a text editor, the format may look different because those programs handle dates differently.

How do I change the date format for dates I am about to type in?

Format the cells before you type. Select the empty cells where you plan to put dates, open Format Cells, choose your date format, and click OK. Then type your dates. Excel will automatically format them as you type.

Can I use a format that shows the date in a language other than English?

Excel's built-in formats follow your computer's language and region settings. If you want dates in a different language, you may need to change your system language settings or create a custom format using the month and day names you want, though this is more complex.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.