[C#] Format DateTime as String Examples

Some examples and tips on C# DateTime formatting using string.Format() or .ToString() methods.

Standard DateTime format

Standard formats are typically used when you need a fast string representation of your DateTime object based on current culture.

DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
// Short date:
string.Format("{0:d}", date)   // 9/15/2019
// Long date:
string.Format("{0:D}", date)   // Sunday, September 15, 2019 
// Short time:
string.Format("{0:t}", date)   // 8:38 PM
// Long time:
string.Format("{0:T}", date)   // 8:38:25 PM
// Full date/time (short time):
string.Format("{0:f}", date)   // Sunday, September 15, 2019 8:38 PM
// Full date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:F}", date)   // Sunday, September 15, 2019 8:38:25 PM
// General  date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:g}", date)   // 9/15/2019 8:38 PM
// General  date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:G}", date)   // 9/15/2019 8:38:25 PM
// Sortable date/time:
string.Format("{0:s}", date)   // 2019-09-15T20:38:25

Custom DateTime format

Custom formats are useful when you need more flexibility on the output string format.

DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
string.Format("{0:MM/dd/yyyy}", date)   // 09/15/2019
string.Format("{0:MMMM dd, yyyy}", date)// September 15, 2019
string.Format("{0:MMM yyyy}", date)     // Sep 2019
string.Format("{0:hh:mm tt}", date)     // 08:38 PM

// Year patterns:
string.Format("{0:yy yyy yyyy}", date)  // 19 2019 2019
// Month patterns:
string.Format("{0:MM MMM MMMM}", date)  // 09 Sep September
// Day patterns:
string.Format("{0:dd ddd dddd}", date)  // 15 Sun Sunday
// Hour
string.Format("{0:hh HH tt}", date)     // 08 20 PM
// Minute, second, second fraction 
string.Format("{0:mm ss ffff}", date)   // 38 25 7593

Format DateTime for a specific culture

When you format a DateTime with DateTime.ToString() you can also specify the culture to use.


using System.Globalization;
// ...
DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
// InvariantCulture 
CultureInfo invC = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture;
date.ToString("f", invC)        // Sunday, 15 September 2019 20:38 
date.ToString("d", invC)        // 09/15/2019 
date.ToString("t", invC)        // 20:38 
// German CultureInfo 
CultureInfo deC = new CultureInfo("de-De");
date.ToString("f", deC)        // Sonntag, 15. September 2019 20:38 
date.ToString("d", deC)        // 15.09.2019 
date.ToString("t", deC)        // 20:38 
// French CultureInfo 
CultureInfo frC = new CultureInfo("fr-FR");
date.ToString("f", frC)        // dimanche 15 septembre 2019 20:38 
date.ToString("d", frC)        // 15/09/2019 
date.ToString("t", frC)        // 20:38 
// Spanish CultureInfo 
CultureInfo esC = new CultureInfo("es-ES");
date.ToString("f", esC)        // domingo, 15 de septiembre de 2019 20:38 
date.ToString("d", esC)        // 15/09/2019 
date.ToString("t", esC)        // 20:38

Character escape and text

Any characters not used by the formatter is reported in the result string. If you need to enter text with reserved characters that must be inserted between two ' (single quote).

DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
// Escaped date text
string.Format("{0:'y:' yyyy' m:' M 'd:' d}", date)  // y: 2019 m: 9 d: 15 
// Force time format to use ':' as separator ()
string.Format("{0:HH':'mm}", date)                  // 20:38

TOOL: Test you format string

A simple tool for test your format string.