Formatting Issues

How to Remove Only the Date from an Excel Spreadsheet

WPS Editor Sep 29, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to remove the date portion from spreadsheet cells while retaining the remaining data, such as the time or accompanying text.

How to Remove Only the Date from an Excel Spreadsheet

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Modifying date-time values or text strings to extract, hide, or delete the date part without losing the rest of the cell's contents.
Observed behavior: The cells contain unwanted date information combined with other data (like time), which needs to be isolated and removed.

Before you start

Check whether your data is stored as a continuous Date/Time serial number or as plain text, as the method to remove the date will differ based on the data type.

Solution 1Recommended

Hide the Date Using Custom Formatting

If your cell contains both a date and a time, you can change the display format to show only the time without altering or deleting the underlying data.

This method is ideal if you want a quick visual change for reporting or printing. The actual date remains in the cell's background data, ensuring no information is permanently lost.

Select the target cells

Highlight the range of cells containing the combined date and time values.

Open the Format Cells dialog

Right-click the selected area and choose 'Format Cells' from the context menu, or press the shortcut 'Ctrl + 1' on your keyboard.

Apply a Custom Format

Go to the 'Number' tab and select 'Custom' from the Category list. In the 'Type' field, enter 'hh:mm:ss AM/PM' or 'hh:mm' to display only the time.

Confirm the changes

Click 'OK' to apply the formatting. The dates will no longer be visible in the spreadsheet cells.

Underlying Data Retention: If you click on the cell and look at the Formula Bar, you will still see the full date and time. This method only changes how the data is displayed.

Solution 2

Use the MOD Formula to Extract Only the Time

When you need to permanently remove the date value from a Date/Time cell to perform time-based calculations, use the MOD function.

Solution 3

Use Find and Replace for Text Strings

If the dates are combined with text rather than stored as recognizable time values, you can quickly remove them using the Find and Replace tool.

Manage Data Efficiently with WPS Office

Easily Format and Remove Dates in WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet offers a comprehensive suite of formatting tools and formulas that are highly compatible with Microsoft Excel, making it effortless to isolate time values, hide dates, and manipulate text strings.

1. Open your file in WPS: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open the workbook containing your mixed date data.
2. Highlight your data: Select the column or specific cells where you want the date removed.
3. Access cell formatting: Right-click and select 'Format Cells', navigate to 'Custom', and input 'hh:mm:ss' to hide the date instantly.
4. Calculate exact values: Alternatively, type '=MOD(A1,1)' in a new column to permanently strip the date value while retaining exact time precision.

Free to download and use for everyday tasksFully compatible with Microsoft Excel formats (.xlsx, .xls)Intuitive Format Cells dialog for quick visual adjustmentsSeamless processing of complex formulas like MOD and INT

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove the time and keep only the date?

To remove the time and keep only the date, you can use the INT formula. In a blank cell, type '=INT(A1)' (where A1 is your date-time cell). Because dates are whole numbers, INT drops the decimal fraction (the time) and leaves only the whole date.

Why does my time show as a strange decimal number after removing the date?

Spreadsheet software stores time as a fraction of a 24-hour day. For example, 12:00 PM is represented as 0.5. To fix this, you just need to change the cell format. Right-click the cell, select 'Format Cells', and choose a 'Time' format.

Can I use 'Text to Columns' to separate dates and times?

Yes. If your date and time are separated by a space, you can highlight the column, go to the 'Data' tab, and select 'Text to Columns'. Choose 'Delimited', check the 'Space' option, and finish the wizard to split the date and time into two distinct columns.

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