Different date formats for File Explorer and Task Bar

Question

I know that in order to have specific date format in File Explorer or Task Bar, I can specify it in the Clock & Region settings in Control Panel. However, the problem is I'd like to have DIFFERENT date formats in File Explorer AND Task Bar. For the latter, I'd like to see the day of week and date-month, and exclude the year part since it doesn't fit the space. For File Explorer, I'd like to see date in standard short format which includes the year, since many files may have been modified in past years and the year part is important. How would I set up my Windows to achieve that?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, AFAIK, Windows does not natively support using different date formats for the Taskbar and File Explorer. Both derive their formatting from the same system-wide “Short date” setting, which you configure in Control Panel → Clock and Region → Region → Formats → Additional settings → Date. That setting applies globally across File Explorer, the Taskbar, and other system UI elements that show dates.

There are a couple of options you can try:

Option 1: Prioritize File Explorer, customize Taskbar with 3rd-party tools

If accuracy in File Explorer is more important:

1. Set the Short Date format to include the year:
   • Format: dd/MM/yyyy
2. Use a Taskbar customizer like T-Clock Redux:
   • It replaces the default Taskbar clock with a customizable one.
   • You can set any custom format, e.g., ddd dd-MMM.

Option 2: Prioritize Taskbar appearance, add year info in Explorer via columns

If you want a cleaner Taskbar clock and are okay with some compromises:

1. Set Short Date to exclude year (e.g., ddd dd-MMM).
2. In File Explorer, switch to "Details" view and:
   • Right-click the column headers.
   • Add the “Date modified” column (or other date columns).
   • Use the “Date created” column if needed.

Sometimes this still inherits the short format — in that case, consider:

• Using PowerToys → File Explorer add-ons (e.g., to show tooltips or preview panes).
• Renaming files with the year in their name (not ideal but practical for archival folders).

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hth

Marcin