This tutorial will show you how to change the date format used for your account in Windows 11.
Your regional format settings will influence how your date/time, numeric, and currency data types appear when you apply formatting options. Windows supports a variety of languages, plus currency and date/time formats for the countries/regions that use those languages.
You can change the short date and long date to a custom format you want used and displayed in Windows.
The date on the taskbar uses the short date format.
References:
Change the Windows regional settings to modify the appearance of some data types in Access databases. | Microsoft Support
Change the Windows regional settings to modify the appearance of some data types in Access databases.
support.microsoft.com
Format dates and times - Globalization
Format date/time info based on region standards using locale-aware methods.
learn.microsoft.com
Date formats for the current user are saved to the string values (REG_SZ) in the registry key below:
(Registry key)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International
(String values)
sShortDate
sLongDate
Contents
- Option One: Change Date Format in Settings
- Option Two: Change Date Format in Region Control Panel
- Option Three: Change Date Format in Customize Format Control Panel
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on Time & language on the left side, and click/tap on Language & region on the right side. (see screenshot below)
Starting with Windows 11 build 26200.5742 (Dev 25H2), build 26120.5742 (Beta 24H2), build 27928 (Canary), and build 2610.5061 (RP 24H2), the formatting settings for date and time have moved from Settings > Time & language > Language & region to Settings > Time & language > Date & time, and you can now change your AM/PM symbol from here as well (along with other existing formatting settings).
3 Click/tap on Regional format to expand it open, and perform an available action below: (see screenshots below)
- (OLD) Click/tap on the Change formats button.
- [NEW) Click/tap on Date & time format.
4 Select the format you want in the Short date and Long date drop menus. (see screenshot below)
5 You can now close Settings if you like.
1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Region icon.
2 In the Formats tab, select the format you want in the Short date and Long date drop menus, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Region icon.
2 In the Formats tab, click/tap on Additional settings. (see screenshot below)
3 Perform the following actions: (see screenshot below)
- Click/tap on the Date tab.
- Select the format you want in the Short date and Long date drop menus, or type the custom format you want in the Short date and Long date boxes.
- Click/tap on OK.
4 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
