Changing default date format from d-mmm

[BSLeBlanc]

When typing a date such as 2/19 (m/d or m/dd), the Excel default date format changes it to 9-Feb (d-mmm). Is there a way to change this default? Changing the regional settings does not work as Microsoft would suggest - the d-mmm format doesn't even appear in the settings, but does appear as a custom format within Excel.

There was a 2009 thread on this issue with no solution, but I'm hoping something has changed with Excel 2016.

Thanks.

 

[JLGWhiz]

When typing a date such as 2/19 (m/d or m/dd), the Excel default date format changes it to 9-Feb (d-mmm). Is there a way to change this default? Changing the regional settings does not work as Microsoft would suggest - the d-mmm format doesn't even appear in the settings, but does appear as a custom format within Excel.

There was a 2009 thread on this issue with no solution, but I'm hoping something has changed with Excel 2016.

Thanks.

Custome date formats can be set using the Format Cells feature in Excel. You can select the Column(s) or Row(s) where you want the format to apply and right click to show a pop up menu. Select 'Format Cells' and use the Number Format tab in the dialog box. Select 'Date' and then in the horizontal box at the upper right of the dialog box, type in the format you want the date to appear as. Click 'OK' out of the porcess. Any date you put in those selected ranges wiil now automatically convert to your custom format.

If you copy a date from another cell with a different format and do not use paste special, it will override your custom format and use the format of the source cell. But any date entered by code or manually, not otherwise formatted will use your custom format.

 

[JLGWhiz]

Correction. Use Custom Number Format instead of Date. browse the existing formats in the dialog box to see if your format already exists, if not then type in the narrow box immediately above the preset selections the specific format using the d, m, y characters per your desired format.

 

[BSLeBlanc]

Correction. Use Custom Number Format instead of Date. browse the existing formats in the dialog box to see if your format already exists, if not then type in the narrow box immediately above the preset selections the specific format using the d, m, y characters per your desired format.

Understood, but I want to change the default date format so I don't have to manually change the date format every time I start Excel, or every time I enter a date into a new cell/column/row/sheet that hasn't already been manually formatted.

 

[JLGWhiz]

Understood, but I want to change the default date format so I don't have to manually change the date format every time I start Excel, or every time I enter a date into a new cell/column/row/sheet that hasn't already been manually formatted.

Since the application defaults are part of the MS application software, it is beyond my level of programming. I only know how to use the tools that MS provided to override their preset defaults.