# Formatting Dates

For dates, there is the *Date* format.

To apply the date format to a cell value:

1\) Select a cell or a range of cells to format.\
2\) Click the **Date format** button in the Number section to open a drop-down list with number formats.\
3\) Choose the necessary format that will be applied to the selected cells.\\

## Customizing the Default Date Format

You can choose one of the predefined date and time formats:

1\) Select a cell or a range of cells to format.\
2\) Click the **Date format** button in the Number section to open a drop-down list with number formats and select the **Date** option.\
3\) Select **Date**.\
4\) Select the format:

![Date Format Settings](/files/-M1QTzWGnNb2MQHZ1SSU)

## Custom Date Format

You can customize the predefined Date formats.

To customize a predefined date format:

1\) Select a cell or a range of cells to apply custom format to.\
2\) Click the format button in the **Number** section and select the **Custom** option.\
3\) Select **Custom**.\
4\) Edit the date format line:

![Custom Date Format](/files/-M1QTzWI8UTSQi3zMs7M)

An example of a format line:

```
mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm
```

These are the allowed characters for a date format string:

* the date part:
  * "yy" - the year as a two-digit number (00 to 99);
  * "yyyy" - the year as a four-digit number (1900–9999);
  * "m" - the month as a number without a leading zero (1 to 12);
  * "mm" - the month as a number with a leading zero (01 to 12);
  * "mmm" - the month as an abbreviation (Jan to Dec);
  * "mmmm" - the month as a full name (January to December);
  * "mmmmm" - not supported by Webix, but interpreted as "mmmm"
  * "d" - the day as a number without a leading zero (1 to 31);
  * "dd" - the day as a number with a leading zero (01 to 31);
  * "ddd" - the day as an abbreviation (Sun to Sat);
  * "dddd" - the day as a full name (Sunday to Saturday);
* the time part:
  * "h" - the hour based on the 24-hour clock (0 to 23);
  * "hh" - the hour based on the 24-hour clock with a leading zero (00 to 23);
  * "m"- not supported by Webix, but interpreted as "mm"
  * "mm" - the minute as a number with a leading zero (00 to 59);
  * "s" - not supported by Webix, but interpreted as "ss"
  * "ss" - the second as a number with a leading zero (00 to 59);
  * "AM/PM" - displays AM (for times from midnight until noon) and PM (for times from noon until midnight).

5\) To apply the new format, click **Save**.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://webix-guides.gitbook.io/spreadsheet-user-guide/formatting_dates.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
