How to Insert a Date in Google Sheets

The fastest way to insert today’s date in Google Sheets is to click a cell and press Ctrl + ; (semicolon) on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command + ; on a Mac. That enters a fixed date that won’t change. For a date that always updates to today, type =TODAY(). To let people pick a date from a calendar, set up Data > Data validation with the Is valid date rule, then double-click the cell.

Below are all the ways to add dates, plus how to format them, fill a series, and fix dates that show up as numbers or text.

Quick reference

To insert	Windows / ChromeOS	Mac	Updates automatically?
Today’s date	Ctrl + ;	Command + ;	No
Current time	Ctrl + Shift + ;	Command + Shift + ;	No
Date and time	Ctrl + Alt + Shift + ;	Command + Option + Shift + ;	No
Today’s date	=TODAY()		Yes
Date and time now	=NOW()		Yes
A specific date	=DATE(2026,9,24) or type 9/24/2026		No

Method 1: Keyboard shortcut (static date)

1. Click the cell.
2. Press Ctrl + ; (Command + ; on a Mac).
3. Press Enter.

Use this for records like “date received,” where the date shouldn’t change later.

Method 2: TODAY and NOW functions (updating date)

1. Click a cell and type =TODAY() for the date, or =NOW() for the date and time.
2. Press Enter.

These recalculate whenever the sheet changes. To control how often NOW updates, go to File > Settings > Calculation and choose On change and every minute or every hour. They’re useful for formulas like days until a deadline: =B2-TODAY().

Method 3: Add a date picker

1. Select the cells where you want dates.
2. Click Data > Data validation > Add rule.
3. Under Criteria, choose Is valid date.
4. Optional: under Advanced options, choose Reject the input to block anything that isn’t a date.
5. Click Done.
6. Double-click one of the cells to open the calendar and pick a date.

A calendar also appears when you double-click any cell that already contains a date. You can also insert a date chip by typing @date or choosing Insert > Smart chips > Date, where available.

Method 4: Type a date

Type a date like 9/24/2026 or 2026-09-24. Sheets recognizes it as a date if it matches your spreadsheet’s locale. The format depends on the locale in File > Settings > Locale. For example, the United Kingdom uses day/month/year.

How to fill a series of dates

1. Type the first date, like 9/1/2026.
2. Type the next date in the cell below, like 9/2/2026 for daily or 9/8/2026 for weekly.
3. Select both cells, then drag the small blue square in the corner down.

Or use a formula like =SEQUENCE(30,1,DATE(2026,9,1),1) to create 30 consecutive days at once.

How to change the date format

1. Select the date cells.
2. Click Format > Number > Date for the default format, or Custom date and time for others.
3. In Custom date and time, choose a format like September 24, 2026 or Thu, Sep 24, and click Apply.

To show dates as text in a formula, use TEXT, like =TEXT(TODAY(),”mmmm d, yyyy”).

Related: how to insert a calendar in Google Sheets.

Troubleshooting

• Date shows as a number like 46289: The cell is formatted as a number. Apply Format > Number > Date.
• Date is left-aligned and won’t sort: It’s stored as text. Check your locale, or convert it with =DATEVALUE(A2). See how to sort dates in Google Sheets.
• Shortcut doesn’t work: Make sure you’re not already editing the cell, and that your keyboard layout has the semicolon key in the usual place.
• TODAY shows the wrong day: Check the time zone in File > Settings.

Frequently asked questions

How do I insert a date that doesn’t change?

Use Ctrl + ;, or copy a TODAY() cell and use Edit > Paste special > Values only.

Can I add a date on the Google Sheets app?

Yes. Type the date, or type =TODAY(). Keyboard shortcuts depend on having a physical keyboard.

How do I add days to a date?

Add a number, like =A2+7 for one week later. For workdays only, use =WORKDAY(A2,5).