Some examples and tips on C# DateTime formatting using string.Format() or .ToString() methods.
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) // 5/24/2025
// Long date:
string.Format("{0:D}", date) // Saturday, May 24, 2025
// Short time:
string.Format("{0:t}", date) // 3:36 PM
// Long time:
string.Format("{0:T}", date) // 3:36:13 PM
// Full date/time (short time):
string.Format("{0:f}", date) // Saturday, May 24, 2025 3:36 PM
// Full date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:F}", date) // Saturday, May 24, 2025 3:36:13 PM
// General date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:g}", date) // 5/24/2025 3:36 PM
// General date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:G}", date) // 5/24/2025 3:36:13 PM
// Sortable date/time:
string.Format("{0:s}", date) // 2025-05-24T15:36:13
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) // 05/24/2025
string.Format("{0:MMMM dd, yyyy}", date)// May 24, 2025
string.Format("{0:MMM yyyy}", date) // May 2025
string.Format("{0:hh:mm tt}", date) // 03:36 PM
// Year patterns:
string.Format("{0:yy yyy yyyy}", date) // 25 2025 2025
// Month patterns:
string.Format("{0:MM MMM MMMM}", date) // 05 May May
// Day patterns:
string.Format("{0:dd ddd dddd}", date) // 24 Sat Saturday
// Hour
string.Format("{0:hh HH tt}", date) // 03 15 PM
// Minute, second, second fraction
string.Format("{0:mm ss ffff}", date) // 36 13 9749
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) // Saturday, 24 May 2025 15:36
date.ToString("d", invC) // 05/24/2025
date.ToString("t", invC) // 15:36
// German CultureInfo
CultureInfo deC = new CultureInfo("de-De");
date.ToString("f", deC) // Samstag, 24. Mai 2025 15:36
date.ToString("d", deC) // 24.05.2025
date.ToString("t", deC) // 15:36
// French CultureInfo
CultureInfo frC = new CultureInfo("fr-FR");
date.ToString("f", frC) // samedi 24 mai 2025 15:36
date.ToString("d", frC) // 24/05/2025
date.ToString("t", frC) // 15:36
// Spanish CultureInfo
CultureInfo esC = new CultureInfo("es-ES");
date.ToString("f", esC) // sábado, 24 de mayo de 2025 15:36
date.ToString("d", esC) // 24/05/2025
date.ToString("t", esC) // 15:36
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: 2025 m: 5 d: 24
// Force time format to use ':' as separator ()
string.Format("{0:HH':'mm}", date) // 15:36
A simple tool for test your format string.