Excel Date Format Shortcut: Change Dates in Seconds

To change selected cells to Excel’s standard date display in Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select the cells and press Ctrl+Shift+# (on a US keyboard, this is usually Ctrl+Shift+3). The shortcut changes how valid date values appear; it does not change the dates themselves. If you need a different order or style, use Format Cells to choose a date format instead.

This is useful when a worksheet shows dates as serial numbers, or when you want a consistent date display across a selected range. The exact appearance can depend on your regional settings, so check the result before sharing or printing the workbook.

What You’ll Need

A workbook open in Excel, with the date cells or range you want to format.
Dates stored as real Excel date values. A date typed or imported as text may not respond to the shortcut until you convert it.
A keyboard layout that lets you enter the number sign (#) combination. On many US keyboards, # is Shift+3; other layouts may place it elsewhere.

Step-by-Step

Select the date cells. Click one cell to format only that cell, or drag across a continuous range. To select non-adjacent cells, hold Ctrl while clicking each cell on Windows. You can select a whole column by clicking its letter, but avoid doing that if the column contains values that should keep their existing formats. Formatting a cell range is safer than applying a format to an entire worksheet.
Apply the date shortcut. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+#. On a standard US keyboard, press and hold Ctrl and Shift, then press 3. Release the keys after the selection changes. Excel applies its built-in date number format, commonly displayed in a day–abbreviated month–year style such as 14-Mar-26. The exact order and appearance may differ with your system’s regional settings.
Check a few cells. Look at the formula bar and the cell display. The formula bar can show the underlying date value while the cell shows its formatted version. Confirm that a value such as 3/14/2026 appears as a recognizable date, and check dates near the start or end of a month to make sure you have not mistaken a day and month. The shortcut changes the display format, not the stored date.
Use the ribbon if the shortcut is inconvenient. Select the cells, then go to Home > Number Format and choose a date option such as Short Date or Long Date. The Number Format control is the drop-down in the Number group. This route is useful if your keyboard layout makes the # shortcut awkward, or if you are unsure whether a keyboard combination is reaching Excel.
Choose a specific layout when needed. Select the cells and press Ctrl+1 on Windows to open Format Cells. On the Number tab, choose Date and select a format from the Type list. The Sample area previews how the selected cell will look. You can also select Custom and enter a format code, such as dd/mm/yyyy for a four-digit year and two-digit day and month. The order in that example is day, month, year; choose a different code if your audience expects month first.
Apply the choice. Click OK in the Format Cells dialog. Review the selected range and adjust the column width if the dates show as number signs or appear clipped. A format such as Long Date takes more space than a short date, so widening the column may be necessary even though the underlying values are fine.
Repeat for other ranges only when appropriate. If a worksheet has dates in separate columns, select each date range and apply the same shortcut or chosen format. Do not assume that every number in the workbook is a date: Excel stores dates as numbers, and applying a date format to an amount or identifier can make it look like an unexpected date.
Save and verify the workbook. Save your changes, then check the worksheet in the view or file format your recipients will use. If dates need to appear in a particular order for an international audience, use a clear format such as yyyy-mm-dd rather than relying on local conventions that could be read in more than one way.

On Mac: Excel for Mac also uses Control+Shift+# for the date format in versions that support the shortcut. On a US keyboard, # is commonly entered with Shift+3. Use Control rather than assuming the Windows Ctrl key combination should be replaced by Command. Keyboard layouts and Excel versions can affect the exact keystroke; if it does not work, choose a date format from the Home tab or open Format Cells with Control+1.

In Excel for the web: Shortcuts can depend on the browser and keyboard layout, and the browser may use a combination for its own command. If the date shortcut does not format the cells, use the Home tab’s number-format options. Excel for the web may not present every Format Cells option available in the desktop app, so open the workbook in desktop Excel if you need a particular custom code that is not offered online.

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong key for #. On many US keyboards the shortcut is described as Ctrl+Shift+#, but you physically press Shift+3 to type #. Other keyboard layouts may use a different key. If Excel does not respond, try the ribbon rather than repeatedly pressing a combination that may be assigned differently.
Expecting the shortcut to repair text. A value that looks like 14/03/2026 may be text imported from another system, not an Excel date. Number formatting affects numeric date values; it does not reliably convert text into dates. Changing the cell display may appear to do nothing.
Confusing display with value. A cell showing 14-Mar-26 still contains the same date value as before. Conversely, changing the format cannot correct a date that was interpreted with the wrong month and day during import. Check the meaning of the value, not only its appearance.
Formatting too much. Applying a date style to a whole column can make amounts, codes, or blank cells display oddly. Select only the cells that actually hold dates, particularly in mixed-use tables.
Assuming a universal date order. A short date such as 03/04/2026 can mean March 4 or April 3 depending on regional conventions. Choose an explicit format when the file will be used across locales, and clarify the intended order if there is any doubt.

Tips

Use the shortcut for speed, and Format Cells for control. The shortcut is convenient for a quick, consistent date display. Format Cells is better when you need a particular year length, a month name, or an unambiguous year-month-day order.
Keep dates as dates when you need calculations. If you plan to sort chronologically, find elapsed days, or use date filters, keep the cells as Excel date values. Avoid converting dates to text just to make them look a certain way; text can be harder to sort and calculate.
Set a format for future entries. If a table column is dedicated to dates, format the column or its input range before entering new values. Excel will then display valid dates consistently, though pasted data can bring in its own formats or text values.
Choose a format for the reader. A format such as 14-Mar-2026 makes the month clear, while yyyy-mm-dd places the year first and avoids day/month ambiguity. For a formal report, use a style that matches the organization’s conventions.
Use Undo if you applied the wrong display. Press Ctrl+Z on Windows immediately after an unwanted format change, or use the Undo button. If you have made several later edits, select the cells and choose the correct format instead, since Undo may also reverse those later actions.

Troubleshooting

The shortcut does nothing. First confirm that Excel is the active window and that you have selected cells. Check how your keyboard enters #; on a common US layout it is Ctrl+Shift+3. Laptop function layers and non-US layouts can alter key behavior. Try Home > Number Format and choose Short Date as a quick alternative. On Mac, try the Control-based shortcut, not Command, and use the ribbon if the key combination is intercepted.

The cell still shows the original text. The cell may contain text rather than a date value. Select it and inspect the formula bar; imported text often remains unchanged when you apply a number format. Use Excel’s conversion tools, such as Text to Columns, or re-enter the value in a form Excel recognizes under your regional settings. Before converting a large dataset, test a few rows and verify ambiguous dates so that day and month are not reversed.

The cell shows a number such as 46100. Excel stores dates as serial numbers, so a plain number display can represent a date value. Select the cell and apply the date shortcut or choose a date option from the Number Format list. If the number still appears, check whether the selection actually includes the cell you intended to format and whether the content is a numeric value that Excel recognizes as a date.

The result is in the wrong order. The shortcut applies a built-in format that can follow regional settings. Open Format Cells with Ctrl+1 on Windows, select Date or Custom, and choose an explicit layout such as dd/mm/yyyy or yyyy-mm-dd. If the underlying date itself was parsed incorrectly, changing the display alone will not fix it; verify the source data and correct the date value before formatting.

Dates appear as #######. This usually means the column is too narrow to show the selected format, not that the date has been deleted. Widen the column by dragging the boundary between column headings, or double-click that boundary to AutoFit. If the cell contains a negative date or an unsupported value, inspect the value and workbook date settings as well.

The format changes only some cells. Mixed content, text dates, or merged cells can explain inconsistent results. Check the cells that did not change individually, confirm that each contains a date value, and remove any unwanted merge that prevents a clean range selection. If the data was pasted from another source, it may include different formats or text; standardize the values first, then apply one format to the range.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Excel shortcut to change a cell to a date?

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select the cells and press Ctrl+Shift+#. On a US keyboard that is usually Ctrl+Shift+3. It applies a built-in date display; regional settings can affect the exact appearance.

Does the shortcut change the actual date?

No. It changes the number format used to display a valid date value. The underlying date remains available for sorting, filtering, and calculations. If the value was entered or imported incorrectly, you must correct the value separately.

How do I change the format to MM/DD/YYYY?

Select the cells, press Ctrl+1 on Windows, choose Custom, and enter mm/dd/yyyy in the Type box, then click OK. This displays a two-digit month, two-digit day, and four-digit year. Make sure that order matches what your readers expect.

Why does Ctrl+Shift+# show no change?

The cells may already use a similar date format, the shortcut may be different on your keyboard layout, or the entries may be text. Try Home > Number Format and select a date style. If the text does not respond, convert it to a real date value first.

Can I use the same shortcut in Excel for Mac?

Excel for Mac supports the Control+Shift+# date shortcut in versions where that shortcut is available; on a US keyboard, # is commonly Shift+3. If your layout or version behaves differently, use the Home tab’s date-format control or open Format Cells with Control+1.

Will the date shortcut work in Excel for the web?

It may, but browser shortcuts and keyboard layouts can interfere. If it does not work, select the cells and use the Home tab’s number-format menu. For custom formats that are unavailable in the web interface, open the workbook in desktop Excel.

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

More in How-to basics

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

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