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Date format - Excel online

Anonymous
2019-10-30T22:41:44+00:00

How do you change the default date format for excel online?  We have spreadsheets on the local program that show the date in the correct format (dd:mm:yy) but when we open the same spreadsheet on line it changes the format to mm:dd:yy

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2019-11-07T09:47:25+00:00

Hi Arran,

Thanks for posting back and sharing the details.

If you want to let the cells containing dates showing the date format as dd/mm/yy, have you tried following?

In Excel for the web, select the cells, in the Home tab, Number group, expand the option list and select "More Number Formats", select Date, then choose a date format like dd/mm/yy and click OK ?

Besides, based on my test, I'm afraid we cannot set the default date format for Excel online. Sorry for the inconvenience.

I understand you want to keep the same date format dd/mm/yy in both Excel desktop app and Excel online. As workarounds, you may try following:

Option 1:

According to my test, in Excel desktop app if I set the date format by right clicking the cells>Format cells>Date>in Locale(location), select English(Australia), click OK and save the workbook.

After uploading the workbook to Excel online, the date format keeps as dd/mm/yy.

Option 2:

In Excel desktop app, you may create dd/mm/yy as a Custom date format:

from Home tab, Number group, expand the list and click More Number Formats. In Custom section, create a new custom date format. 

Then apply the custom date format to your cells.

Based on my test, custom date format won't change if we open the same workbook in Excel online.

Best regards,

Tina

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-11-01T05:56:48+00:00

    Thanks Andreas but none of this worked.  They were already set to Australia.

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  2. Andreas Killer 144.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-10-31T07:46:09+00:00

    The format mm/dd/yy is the default for English (United States)

    And dd/mm/yy is the default for English (United Kingdom)

    Means you have to change the region in your account, I don't know if this work for the business accounts, resp. if you can change it so easy. Maybe you have to talk to your admin to change that for you:

    Log off from Excel Online, OneDrive, etc. all online tools!!

    Log in into your account here:

    https://account.microsoft.com/account

    In the menu click "Your Info" then "Edit country/region"

    Change the region and Save

    Log in into Excel Online

    If that doesn't work see this article:

    https://support.office.com/en-us/article/change-your-personal-language-and-region-settings-caa1fccc-bcdb-42f3-9e5b-45957647ffd7

    Andreas.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-11-02T09:21:48+00:00

    Hi Heyheyhey7,

    I'd like to help you do troubleshooting for the issue, could you help confirm information below?

    1.From the information you provided, your Office 365 account region is already set to Australia.

    What is the region setting of your computer? Australia?

    2.Does the issue happen when you open a specific spreadsheet in Excel for the web or all spreadsheets?

    Many thanks for your time and effort.

    Regards,

    Tina

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  4. Andreas Killer 144.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-11-01T09:17:31+00:00

    Open Excel Online

    Make a new file

    Right-click a cell and choose "Number Format"

    Select the Date category

    The Locale that you see below the available formats comes from your OneDrive and OneDrive get the locale from your account.

    So the important point is to log off everywhere (and any device) before you change the region.

    Andreas.

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