Office Compatibility Issues

How to Fix Missing 64-Bit Excel Date and Time Picker Control

Phi Hung Vo Oct 14, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user is seeking a 64-bit version of the Microsoft Date and Time Picker control for Excel, as the legacy version is missing and breaking older VBA projects.

How to Fix Missing 64-Bit Excel Date and Time Picker Control

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Migrating Excel VBA projects and forms from a 32-bit Office environment to a 64-bit Office environment.
Observed behavior: The legacy Microsoft Date and Time Picker control (mscomct2.ocx) fails to load or compile in 64-bit Excel, causing compatibility errors in VBA.

Before you start

Confirm your Microsoft Office bit version by going to File > Account > About Excel. If you are running 64-bit Excel, older 32-bit ActiveX controls will fundamentally not operate.

Solution 1Recommended

Use a Custom VBA UserForm Alternative

Since Microsoft does not offer a 64-bit version of the legacy Date and Time Picker, the most reliable workaround is to create or import a custom VBA calendar form built with standard controls.

The original mscomct2.ocx file containing the Date Picker was never recompiled for 64-bit architectures by Microsoft. Because 64-bit host applications cannot load 32-bit libraries, relying on custom VBA code using standard CommandButtons and TextBoxes ensures cross-compatibility.

Access the VBA Editor

Open your Excel workbook and press ALT + F11 to launch the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor.

Insert a Custom UserForm

Right-click on your project in the Project Explorer, select 'Insert', and click 'UserForm'.

Design or Import a Calendar

Manually design a calendar interface using default VBA buttons, or import a pre-built, open-source 64-bit compatible VBA calendar module from a trusted developer community.

Update Code References

Modify your existing VBA scripts to replace all calls to the legacy DTPicker control with your new custom UserForm, ensuring dates are passed correctly to your worksheets.

Compatibility Maintained: Using standard VBA controls to simulate a Date Picker guarantees that your workbook will function seamlessly on both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Excel.

Solution 2

Use the Office Add-ins Store

For users who do not require deep VBA integration, Microsoft provides modern web-based add-ins that can insert calendars directly into your spreadsheets.

Solution 3

Revert to 32-Bit Microsoft Office

If rewriting your VBA code is not feasible and the legacy Date Picker is strictly required, you may need to uninstall 64-bit Office and install the 32-bit version.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Microsoft remove the Date and Time Picker in 64-bit Excel?

Microsoft deprecated the legacy Windows Common Controls library (mscomct2.ocx), which contains the Date and Time Picker, for 64-bit architectures. They transitioned focus toward modern, cross-platform web add-ins rather than updating legacy ActiveX components.

Can I force the 32-bit Date Picker control to work in 64-bit Excel?

No. While you can successfully register a 32-bit OCX file on a 64-bit Windows operating system, a 64-bit host application like 64-bit Excel fundamentally cannot load or execute 32-bit controls.

Is there a third-party 64-bit Date Picker I can download?

Yes, several independent developers have created custom 64-bit ActiveX controls or pure VBA UserForm calendars. However, relying on pure VBA custom forms is generally recommended as it does not require end-users to register custom DLL or OCX files on their machines.

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