---
title: Display a Date in a Custom Format with DateTimePicker Control
description: Learn how to use the Windows Forms DateTimePicker control to format the display of dates and times in the control.
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
  - "cpp"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "DateTimePicker control [Windows Forms], display styles"
  - "examples [Windows Forms], DateTimePicker control"
  - "dates [Windows Forms], displaying in DateTimePicker control"
ms.assetid: 39767691-2d2b-46b6-a663-b7901e581a6e
---
# How to: Display a Date in a Custom Format with the Windows Forms DateTimePicker Control
The Windows Forms <xref:System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePicker> control gives you flexibility in formatting the display of dates and times in the control. The <xref:System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePicker.Format%2A> property allows you to select from predefined formats, listed in the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePickerFormat>. If none of these is adequate for your purposes, you can create your own format style using format characters listed in <xref:System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePicker.CustomFormat%2A>.  
  
### To display a custom format  
  
1. Set the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePicker.Format%2A> property to `DateTimePickerFormat.Custom`.  
  
2. Set the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePicker.CustomFormat%2A> property to a format string.  
  
    ```vb  
    DateTimePicker1.Format = DateTimePickerFormat.Custom  
    ' Display the date as "Mon 27 Feb 2012".  
    DateTimePicker1.CustomFormat = "ddd dd MMM yyyy"  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    dateTimePicker1.Format = DateTimePickerFormat.Custom;  
    // Display the date as "Mon 27 Feb 2012".  
    dateTimePicker1.CustomFormat = "ddd dd MMM yyyy";  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    dateTimePicker1->Format = DateTimePickerFormat::Custom;  
    // Display the date as "Mon 27 Feb 2012".  
    dateTimePicker1->CustomFormat = "ddd dd MMM yyyy";  
    ```  
  
### To add text to the formatted value  
  
1. Use single quotation marks to enclose any character that is not a format character like "M" or a delimiter like ":". For example, the format string below displays the current date with the format "Today is: 05:30:31 Friday March 02, 2012" in the English (United States) culture.  
  
    ```vb  
    DateTimePicker1.CustomFormat = "'Today is:' hh:mm:ss dddd MMMM dd, yyyy"  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    dateTimePicker1.CustomFormat = "'Today is:' hh:mm:ss dddd MMMM dd, yyyy";  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    dateTimePicker1->CustomFormat =  
       "'Today is:' hh:mm:ss dddd MMMM dd, yyyy";  
    ```  
  
     Depending on the culture setting, any characters not enclosed in single quotation marks may be changed. For example, the format string above displays the current date with the format "Today is: 05:30:31 Friday March 02, 2012" in the English (United States) culture. Note that the first colon is enclosed in single quotation marks, because it is not intended to be a delimiting character as it is in "hh:mm:ss". In another culture, the format might appear as "Today is: 05.30.31 Friday March 02, 2012".  
  
## See also

- [DateTimePicker Control](datetimepicker-control-windows-forms.md)
- [How to: Set and Return Dates with the Windows Forms DateTimePicker Control](how-to-set-and-return-dates-with-the-windows-forms-datetimepicker-control.md)
