Office for Mac Issues

How to Fix Word for Mac Date Picker Displaying Wrong Format

Huma Ashraf Ch Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to change the date format of a Word for Mac date picker content control from a short numerical format to a long text format for use in an Outlook template.

How to Fix Word for Mac Date Picker Displaying Wrong Format

Product: Microsoft Word for Mac
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: Creating or modifying a date picker using a VBA macro to display a fully formatted date string (e.g., Thursday, July 7, 2024).
Observed behavior: The date picker displays the default short date format (e.g., 03/07/2024) instead of the intended long date format.

Before you start

Ensure that the Developer tab is enabled in your Word ribbon preferences so you can access macros, and save a backup copy of your document before running new VBA scripts.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure Content Control Properties using VBA

Use specific VBA properties to manually define the display format, locale, and calendar type for the date picker content control.

Since Word for Mac has limitations with the content control UI, VBA is the most direct way to enforce the correct date format without requiring third-party tools. You do not need to apply form-filling protection to the document for content controls to work.

Open the Visual Basic Editor

Go to the Developer tab in Word for Mac and click on 'Visual Basic' to open the macro editor.

Apply DateDisplayFormat

In your macro script, target your content control and add the property: DateDisplayFormat = "dddd, MMMM d, yyyy" to enforce the long date format.

Set Locale and Calendar Type

Add the properties: DateDisplayLocale = wdEnglishUS and DateCalendarType = wdCalendarWestern to ensure the text output respects the correct regional formatting.

Run the Macro

Save and run your macro. The date picker will now correctly output the long text format, which can be safely copied into your Outlook template.

Configure Content Control Properties using VBA

Format Preserved: Once configured, this long date string format will remain intact when pasted into Outlook or other applications.

Solution 2

Use a Mac-Compatible Content Control Add-in

Install a specialized add-in to create and format content controls in Word for Mac without writing custom VBA code.

Solution 3

Create the Control in Word for Windows

Bypass macOS limitations by creating and formatting the date picker in Word for Windows, then migrating it to your Mac.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Experience Hassle-Free Document Editing with WPS Office

Struggling with advanced features and VBA limitations in Word for Mac? WPS Office offers a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office. Enjoy a clean interface and robust tools designed to make document formatting simple and efficient on macOS.

1. Download and Install: Get WPS Office for free from the official website and install it on your Mac.
2. Open your Document: Open your existing Word document. WPS Writer handles Microsoft formats seamlessly.
3. Insert Date and Time: Navigate to the Insert tab and click 'Date and Time' to easily choose your preferred format without writing VBA code.

Completely free and lightweight office suite for MacHigh compatibility with Microsoft Word documents (.doc, .docx)Intuitive and user-friendly interface without complicated macro workaroundsEasily insert and format dates and times directly from the toolbarSeamless migration from Microsoft Office with rich template support

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word for Mac display date pickers differently than Windows?

Word for Mac historically lacks the full graphical user interface for content control properties found in the Windows version. Therefore, advanced formatting must often be handled via VBA or third-party add-ins.

Do I need to turn on document protection for content controls to work?

No. Unlike legacy form fields, modern content controls in Word do not require form-filling document protection to function correctly.

Will the date format stay the same if I copy it into an Outlook template?

Yes. Once you enforce the long date format (e.g., 'dddd, MMMM d, yyyy') on the content control, copying its resulting text into Outlook will preserve the full date structure.

Are there free add-ins available for creating content controls on Mac?

Yes, there are community-provided free add-ins, such as those by John Korchok or Brandwares, though some may require subscribing to a mailing list to download.

Office App Problems