Insert dates in cells from a handy date picker with easy date formatting

Every time you start entering a date in a cell, you wonder… Should you type MM/DD/YYYY or use some other order? Should you use ‘/’ or maybe ‘-’ separator? Will the date format display exactly as you want? That's when an Excel date picker, or a drop down calendar, comes in handy. Indispensable even, when you manage personal or business to-do lists, appointments or timetables, project trackers or financial reports in Excel spreadsheets.

The Popup Calendar is a comprehensive and reliable date picker trusted by 30 000+ Excel users:

Popup Calendar is one of the 20+ features within XLTools Add-in for Excel. Works in Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, desktop Office 365.

Download XLTools for Excel

1. Select a cell.
2. In the Date/Time group, click the Insert Date button The date picker will drop down next to the cell.

   

   Or:right-click and choose Insert Date.

   

   Or:use a shortcut – press Ctrl + ; (semi-colon).
3. Pick a date you need from the calendar Done.

   

   Note:is it what you wanted? Learn how to change the default date format.
4. To change a date value, click on the Calendar icon to the right of the cell Change date.

The Popup Calendar remembers the last used date, so it is easier to insert a date the next time.

Note:after you enter a date, the cell is automatically assigned Number/Date format. If you delete the date value later, the cell will still keep its Date format, and the Popup Calendar icon will remain available for this blank cell. To remove the icon, change the cell's format to General.

1. Select a cell where you want to insert the current date.
2. In the Date/Time group, click the Insert Time button The Calendar will drop down.

   

   Or:right-click and choose Insert date.

   

   Or:use a shortcut – press Ctrl + ; (semi-colon).
3. Click Today on the bottom of the Calendar Done.

You can use the Popup Calendar to fill in dates throughout an entire range (limitation up to 4000 cells). Populate table columns, rows, merged cells, non-adjacent cells or any custom range just the same, as a single cell:

1. Select a range.
2. In the Date/Time group, click the Insert Time button The Calendar will drop down.

   

   Or:right-click and choose Insert Date.

   

   Or:use a shortcut – press Ctrl + ; (semi-colon).
3. Select a date Done. The whole range is populated with the selected date value.

   

   Tip:learn how to populate cells with consecutive dates.
4. To change a date in a specific cell, click on the Calendar icon to the right of the cell Change the date.

Note:after you enter a date, the cells are automatically assigned Number/Date format. If you delete the date values later, the cells will still keep their Date format, and the Popup Calendar icon will remain available for these blank cells. To remove the icon, change the cells' format to General.

When you need to specify a date period, you can pick the From date and the To date from the calendar and insert them into cells instantly. It works similar to how you would select dates when booking a flight or a hotel.

For example, indicate vacation dates from Monday to Friday in your Excel absence tool, or enter lease dates for rental units, or specify a work day for hired freelancers, etc.

1. Select two cells (adjacent or not).
2. Click the Popup Calendar button on the XLTools ribbon.
3. Pick the Start Date from the calendar Hold the left mouse button and move through the dates Release the button on the End Date Done.

These cells will have a date format and can be used in further calculations.

You can also insert a date period into a single cell.

1. Select one cell.
2. Click the Popup Calendar button on the XLTools ribbon.
3. Pick the Start Date from the calendar Hold the left mouse button and move through the dates Release the button on the End Date Done.

Note that the cell will have text format, and you won’t be able to apply formulas to it.

With the Popup Calendar you can quickly populate a range with consecutive dates (sequential days):

1. XLTools tab Settings button Date/Time tab Check the box Auto-increment dates when I use date picker for a range of cells OK.
2. Select a range.
3. In the Date/Time group, click the Insert Date button The date picker will appear.

   

   Or:right-click and choose Insert Date.

   

   Or:use a shortcut – press Ctrl + ; (semi-colon).
4. Pick the starting date to fill the range Done, the whole range is automatically filled with consecutive date values with 1 day increments.

1. Select a cell.
2. In the Date/Time group, click the Date & Time button The Popup Calendar with Clock will appear next to the cell.

   

   Or:right-click and Insert Date & Time.

   

   Or:use a shortcut – press Ctrl + ; (semi-colon), then release the keys and press Ctrl + Shift + ; (semi-colon).
3. Set the time by using a scroll wheel or the Up/Down arrows Choose a date from the Popup Calendar Done.

   

   Note:the time format: is it what you wanted? You can change the default format of the Popup Calendar and Clock.
4. To change an entry, click on the icon to the right of the cell Change time and date.

Note:after you enter date and time, the cell is automatically assigned Number/Date format. If you delete the value later, the cell will still keep its Date format, and the Popup Calendar with Clock icon will remain available for this blank cell. To remove the icon, change the cell's format to General.

1. Select a cell or a range.
2. In the Date/Time group, click the Insert Time button The Popup Clock will appear next to the cell.

   

   Or:right-click and Insert Time.

   

   Or:use a shortcut – press Ctrl + Shift + ; (semi-colon).
3. Set the time by using a scroll wheel or the Up/Down arrows Press Enter Done.

You can change the default date format of the Popup Calendar:

1. Click Settings on XLTools ribbon Date/Time tab.
2. Check the box Use the Date and Time format below as default.

   

   Note:if you uncheck this box, the Popup Calendar will use the format specified in your system settings.
3. Select your preferred format, e.g. the format customary in your country or language.

   

   Or:define and set your custom format.
4. Click OK Done.

You may find that some cells would not comply with the Calendar's format settings. It means the cells had been assigned a different date format earlier. In this case, change the cells' format:

1. Select cells Right-click and choose Format cells.
2. Open Number tab Date format Select the required date format.

Initially, the Popup Calendar employs your system settings for default date and time format. You can change your system settings altogether. note, this will affect all user accounts on your computer:

1. Control Panel Clock, Language, and Region Region.
2. Formats tab Set date and time formats, first day of the week.
3. Location tab Set your home country location.
4. Administrative tab Change system locale Restart your computer.

XLTools tab Settings button Shortcuts tab Set a different shortcut OK.

You can set up the way the Popup Calendar is displayed. You can choose to:

• Display one or two months at the same time
• Display week numbers or not
• Specify the first day of the week: Sunday, Monday, or any other
• Display Day Count panel or not

The Day Count panel shows the quick day count relative to the current date.

Hover over any date in the Popup Calendar — and see how many days it was before today or how many days after today. Or select a date period — and see the number of selected dates.

You can also choose to display two months at the same time, show week numbers, and set the first day of the week.

Specify these customization options as necessary in the settings:

1. Click Settings on the XLTools ribbon Date/Time tab.
2. Check the relevant boxes.
3. Click OK Done.

The Calendar icon appears to the right of a selected Excel cell, when the cell has Date format. Clicking the icon opens the date picker.

• To disable the Calendar icon:

  1. Click Settings on XLTools ribbon Date/Time tab.
  2. Uncheck the box Display the Popup Calendar and Clock icons OK.
  3. Done! The icons will not display, but the Calendar and Clock will still be availalbe for use. You can bring the icons back at any time.

• To make the Calendar icon readily available near a blank cell, column, row or custom range:

  1. Select a blank cell or a range.
  2. Home tab Number group Date OK. This will assign time format to the cells.

     

     Or:use the Popup Calendar to insert any date Press Delete. This will remove the actual date values and yet assign date format to the selected cells.
  3. Done! Now if you select any cell in this range, the Calendar icon will appear near that cell.

• To remove the Calendar icon from empty cells:

  If a cell is empty, but it still has an icon beside it, it means that the cell still has date or time format assigned. To remove the icon from blank cells, change their format back to General:

  1. Select a blank cell or a range.
  2. Home tab Number group Date OK. This will assign time format to the cells.

     

     Or:use the Popup Calendar to insert any date Press Delete. This will remove the actual date values and yet assign date format to the selected cells.
  3. Done! Now if you select any cell in this range, the Calendar icon will appear near that cell.

1. Click Settings on XLTools ribbon Date/Time tab.
2. Check/uncheck the relevant boxes:

   • Add “Insert Date” to the context menu
   • Add “Insert Time” to the context menu
   • Add “Insert Date & Time” to the context menu
3. Click OK Done.