How to apply date format in Excel

Question

I set the cell format into a custom date format mm/dd/yyyy. However, when I enter the date in this format, Excel keeps displaying it as dd/mm/yyyy. How can I correct this?

Answer 1

If you set the cell format to a custom date format, but Excel keeps displaying the date in a different format than what you specified, it is likely due to the regional settings on your computer. Excel typically uses the default regional settings to determine the date format.

To correct this, you can change the regional settings in Windows to match your desired date format. Here's how you can do it:

1. Open the Control Panel on your computer.
2. Search for "Region" or "Region and Language" and open the corresponding settings.
3. In the "Formats" tab, click on the "Additional settings..." button.
4. In the "Customize Format" window that appears, go to the "Date" tab.
5. In the "Short date" field, enter the desired format as "MM/dd/yyyy".
6. Click "OK" to save the changes.
7. Close any open Excel windows and restart Excel.

After changing the regional settings, Excel should now display dates in the format you specified. Remember that this change affects all applications on your computer, not just Excel.