Change Date Format in Google Sheets: A Step-by-Step Guide

Changing the date format in Google Sheets is essential for clear and consistent data management. This guide introduces several methods to tailor date formats to meet regional or personal needs. The different methods are -

Using Format Menu

• Select the Cells: Click on the cells that contain the dates you want to reformat.
• Open the Format Menu: Go to the toolbar and click ‘Format’, then select ‘Number’.
• Choose a Date Format: Select ‘Date’ to access common formats, or choose ‘Custom date and time’ to specify your format.
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Using Functions

• Use the TEXT Function: To change the format of a date, use the formula =TEXT(A1, "mm/dd/yyyy") where A1 is the cell with the original date. Replace "mm/dd/yyyy" with your desired format.
• Apply to Multiple Cells: Copy the formula down to other cells to reformat multiple dates at once.

Create Custom Formats

• Select the Cells: Highlight the cells with dates.
• Custom Format Option: From ‘Format’ > ‘Number’ > ‘Custom date and time’, enter a custom pattern like dd-mm-yyyy or any combination that suits your needs.