Change Outlook Tasks Date Format in Grid View

In classic Outlook for Microsoft 365 on Windows, change a task grid’s date display through View > View Settings > Format Columns, select the date field, and choose an available format. If you use new Outlook or Outlook on the web, the classic grid-formatting controls are not available; change the regional date format in Outlook settings instead, where supported.

First identify which Outlook task view you use

People often call a table of tasks a grid, but Outlook’s task experience differs by version. Classic Outlook for Windows has a Tasks module with table-style views. It lets you display fields such as Subject, Start Date, Due Date, and Status in columns. The column settings are part of the selected view, so you can format a date column without changing every date displayed elsewhere in Windows.

New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web use a more integrated task experience connected to Microsoft To Do. Their task lists do not provide the same classic Advanced View Settings dialog or a per-column date-format control. If you cannot find View Settings or Format Columns, first check whether you are using new Outlook rather than classic Outlook; the steps are not simply hidden under another grid menu.

Classic Outlook for Windows: use the column-formatting steps below for a task table view.
New Outlook or Outlook on the web: check the language and regional settings for the account or app.
Outlook for Mac: the Windows Advanced View Settings path does not apply; date presentation generally follows regional or app settings, depending on the Outlook version.

Format a date column in classic Outlook for Windows

These steps apply to the desktop version of Outlook for Microsoft 365 on Windows, when you are in the classic Tasks module and using a table-style view. The wording or layout can vary slightly between builds, but the relevant controls are on the View tab.

Open Outlook and select Tasks from the navigation bar. If Tasks is not immediately visible, look under the navigation options or the More Apps menu.
Choose a table-style task view. On the View tab, use Change View if necessary to select a list view that shows tasks in rows and fields in columns.
Select View > View Settings. This opens the settings for the current view, not a setting for every Outlook folder.
Select Format Columns.
In the list of available fields, select the date column you want to change, such as Due Date or Start Date.
Choose a date presentation from the Format options, then confirm the dialogs with OK.

Check both Start Date and Due Date if you want them to match. They are separate fields, and changing one does not necessarily change the other. If a field is not currently shown, add it to the view first through the view’s column or field settings, then return to Format Columns and set its display.

The choice affects how the date appears in that view; it does not alter the task’s underlying due date. For example, changing a display from a numeric month/day/year style to a longer written date does not move a deadline or change reminders. A task due on April 5 remains due on April 5, though the number order can be easier or harder to interpret.

Choose a format that avoids ambiguity

Numeric dates can mean different things in different regions. For example, 04/05/2026 can be read as April 5 or May 4. If colleagues share tasks across countries, a format that spells out the month—such as 5 April 2026—is less likely to be misunderstood. A compact format can be useful in a narrow grid, while a longer format makes the month clear at a glance.

Outlook offers formats according to the selected date field and the current view. The format list is made up of available choices; it is not the same as entering an arbitrary custom date pattern. If you need a particular style that is not offered for that column, consider changing the regional format or using a different Outlook view, rather than expecting the Format Columns dialog to accept any text pattern.

For compact lists: a short numeric date takes less column space, but make sure users know the month/day order.
For shared work: a month name helps prevent day-and-month reversals.
For older or overdue work: retain the year if tasks may remain visible across calendar years.

Change the broader regional date format

If all dates in classic Outlook appear in the wrong regional order, or if you use new Outlook or the web, check the regional settings rather than looking for a grid-only control. In Windows 11, open Settings > Time & language > Language & region and review the regional format and available date-format choices. The precise controls can depend on the Windows release. Changing Windows regional formats can affect other applications as well as Outlook, so it is a broader change than formatting one task column.

In Outlook on the web and many new Outlook builds, open Settings, then look under General > Language and time for language, time-zone, and date-format preferences. Available options can vary with the account and rollout. After changing a preference, revisit the task list; if the old display remains, refresh Outlook or close and reopen it. A regional setting changes how dates are presented, not the stored deadline itself.

Choose the scope that matches the problem. If only one classic Tasks grid needs a different display, format its columns. If dates across several folders or Outlook areas use an unexpected order, review the broader regional setting. Avoid changing the Windows region merely to fix one column unless you are comfortable with the effect on other programs.

What changes—and what does not

Date formatting is a display choice, not a task-editing action. It does not change the date saved for a task, its reminder time, its completion status, or its recurrence. It also does not convert a task from one date to another. This distinction matters when checking a deadline: a different order of numbers can look like a changed date even when the stored value is unchanged.

View formatting is usually tied to the particular Outlook view. A different task folder or a different view may use its own settings. If you switch views and see the old format again, check the settings for that view rather than repeatedly changing the task’s date. When sharing or printing a task list, verify the displayed order in the actual view or output that recipients will see.

A related misconception is that changing the language of Outlook always changes the date order everywhere. Language controls labels and menus, while regional preferences govern date conventions; the two are related but not identical. In some versions they are selected together, but it is worth checking the explicit date-format setting when one is available.

Why the formatting option may be missing

The most common reason is using new Outlook or Outlook on the web, where the classic per-column dialog is not provided for To Do-backed tasks. Another possibility is that the current Tasks view is not a table view, or the field you want is not included in its columns. Switch to a list-style view and make sure the date field is available before opening Format Columns.

No View Settings command: confirm that classic Outlook is open and that you are in its Tasks module.
No date field in the list: add or display Start Date or Due Date in the current view before trying to format it.
Only one date changed: format the other date column separately; Start Date and Due Date are distinct fields.
Format appears unchanged: verify that you edited the view currently displayed, then refresh or reopen the view.
Dates look reversed: check the regional order, especially when a numeric date could represent either month/day or day/month.

Outlook for Mac and version differences

The Windows ribbon path View > View Settings > Format Columns is specific to classic Outlook for Windows. Do not expect to find the same Advanced View Settings dialog in Outlook for Mac, new Outlook, or a browser. Outlook for Mac’s task features and controls depend on the version, and newer task experiences are linked with Microsoft To Do rather than the classic Windows Tasks table.

On a Mac, review the date and region preferences available in Outlook and macOS, and check the task display after changing them. Menu names can vary by Outlook release, so use the settings available in the installed version rather than following Windows instructions literally. If your goal is a unique format for one individual date column, classic Outlook for Windows is the version that provides the specific column-formatting workflow described here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change only the Due Date format in Outlook Tasks?
Yes, in classic Outlook for Windows, select the Due Date field in View > View Settings > Format Columns and choose an available format. Start Date is a separate field and may need its own change.

Does changing the date format change the task deadline?
No. It changes the way the date is displayed, not the saved date, reminder, or task status. Check the date carefully if switching between day/month and month/day conventions.

Can I type a custom date format into the grid?
Not through the classic Format Columns dialog’s standard date choices. It offers available formats for the selected field; it is not a general custom-format editor.

Why can’t I find Format Columns in new Outlook?
That control belongs to classic Outlook’s table-view settings. New Outlook and Outlook on the web use a different task experience, so check Settings > General > Language and time for regional date preferences instead.

Will changing Windows regional settings affect other apps?
It can. Windows regional date formats are broader than a single Outlook task view, so change them only if you want the date convention to apply beyond that one grid.

Why do dates still look different after I changed the format?
You may have changed a different view, changed only Start Date or Due Date, or be seeing a regional setting from Outlook or Windows. Confirm the current view and field, then refresh Outlook and check the date order with an unambiguous date.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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