[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)   // 4/10/2020
// Long date:
string.Format("{0:D}", date)   // Friday, April 10, 2020 
// Short time:
string.Format("{0:t}", date)   // 8:52 AM
// Long time:
string.Format("{0:T}", date)   // 8:52:56 AM
// Full date/time (short time):
string.Format("{0:f}", date)   // Friday, April 10, 2020 8:52 AM
// Full date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:F}", date)   // Friday, April 10, 2020 8:52:56 AM
// General  date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:g}", date)   // 4/10/2020 8:52 AM
// General  date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:G}", date)   // 4/10/2020 8:52:56 AM
// Sortable date/time:
string.Format("{0:s}", date)   // 2020-04-10T08:52:56

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)   // 04/10/2020
string.Format("{0:MMMM dd, yyyy}", date)// April 10, 2020
string.Format("{0:MMM yyyy}", date)     // Apr 2020
string.Format("{0:hh:mm tt}", date)     // 08:52 AM

// Year patterns:
string.Format("{0:yy yyy yyyy}", date)  // 20 2020 2020
// Month patterns:
string.Format("{0:MM MMM MMMM}", date)  // 04 Apr April
// Day patterns:
string.Format("{0:dd ddd dddd}", date)  // 10 Fri Friday
// Hour
string.Format("{0:hh HH tt}", date)     // 08 08 AM
// Minute, second, second fraction 
string.Format("{0:mm ss ffff}", date)   // 52 56 3875

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)        // Friday, 10 April 2020 08:52 
date.ToString("d", invC)        // 04/10/2020 
date.ToString("t", invC)        // 08:52 
// German CultureInfo 
CultureInfo deC = new CultureInfo("de-De");
date.ToString("f", deC)        // Freitag, 10. April 2020 08:52 
date.ToString("d", deC)        // 10.04.2020 
date.ToString("t", deC)        // 08:52 
// French CultureInfo 
CultureInfo frC = new CultureInfo("fr-FR");
date.ToString("f", frC)        // vendredi 10 avril 2020 08:52 
date.ToString("d", frC)        // 10/04/2020 
date.ToString("t", frC)        // 08:52 
// Spanish CultureInfo 
CultureInfo esC = new CultureInfo("es-ES");
date.ToString("f", esC)        // viernes, 10 de abril de 2020 8:52 
date.ToString("d", esC)        // 10/04/2020 
date.ToString("t", esC)        // 8:52

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: 2020 m: 4 d: 10 
// Force time format to use ':' as separator ()
string.Format("{0:HH':'mm}", date)                  // 08:52

TOOL: Test you format string

A simple tool for test your format string.