Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Understanding Default Insert Date Formatting.
To insert the date or time in a document, many people use the Date & Time tool on the Insert tab of the ribbon. When you choose this, you are presented with a dialog box that shows many different ways you can insert the date. The first option in the list of sample date formats always reflects how you have set the Short Date Style in your regional settings. If you want to change this date format, you must do so in Windows. The general steps are as follows, although they may differ slightly based on the version of Windows you are using:
Once you change the regional settings, the change is automatically available in Word. Thus, the next time you use the Date & Time tool, the different default date will be immediately available.
When you are using the Date & Time tool, remember that if you choose the Update Automatically check box at the bottom of the dialog box, the date is not inserted as text. Instead, it is inserted using the DATE field, with the /@ formatting switch set to match the date format you selected from the dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10514) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Understanding Default Insert Date Formatting.
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2017-01-10 10:32:45
Louisa
I'm trying to set my documents (legal pleadings)so the date is shown as:
"This (date) day of (month), (year)."
I'm using Office Professional 2010 and I'd like to start setting up "forms" that can be used in a merge setting...so that all I have to do is enter data and send to merge.
Can you help with that?
2017-01-07 06:21:42
James Thomas
Thanks - I didn't know about the relationship with the operating system - On my Mac, we set the default format when the dialog box is open.
Helpfully, I set a keyboard shortcut which opens the dialog box. Better than using the ribbon, but I wish it would just insert the date at the insertion point in the text.
Cheers
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
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