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How to Fix Microsoft Lists Changing Dates After Entry

Amos Gikunda Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to stop Microsoft Lists from unexpectedly changing the day and month order when entering dates into a list.

How to Fix Microsoft Lists Changing Dates After Entry

Product: Microsoft Lists
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Entering dates manually through the Grid View or a list form.
Observed behavior: The entered dates unexpectedly swap the day and month order, even when the regional setting is correctly set to English (United Kingdom).

Before you start

Ensure you have list owner or edit permissions to modify column settings and access the site's regional configurations.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Regional Settings and Disable Friendly Format

Check that both user and list regional settings match and disable the 'Friendly Format' feature which can cause date display confusion.

Microsoft Lists sometimes misinterprets manually typed dates if the 'Friendly Format' option is active, or if there is a conflict between the SharePoint site's regional settings and your personal Microsoft account settings.

Test in a private window

Open an InPrivate (Edge) or Incognito (Chrome) browser window, log into Microsoft Lists, and test entering dates to rule out browser cache issues.

Disable Friendly Format

Click the column header for your date column, select 'Column settings' > 'Edit', toggle off the 'Friendly format' option, and click 'Save'.

Compare entry methods

Enter a date by manually typing it into the Grid View, and then enter another date by selecting it from the calendar picker to see if the date formats now match.

Verify Regional Settings and Disable Friendly Format

Check Site Settings: Ensure the underlying SharePoint site regional settings are also set to your preferred locale (e.g., English UK) via Site Information > View all site settings > Regional settings.

Solution 2

Create a New Date Column for Testing

Add a brand new date column to the list to determine if the issue is isolated to a specific corrupted column.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Microsoft Lists change my date format?

This usually happens due to a mismatch between the underlying SharePoint site's regional settings and your personal Microsoft account's regional settings. It can also occur if the 'Friendly format' option is enabled, which sometimes misinterprets manually typed dates.

How do I check my personal regional settings in Microsoft 365?

Click your profile picture in the top right corner of Microsoft 365, select 'View account', go to 'Settings & Privacy', and check your Language and Region settings to ensure they match your expected format.

Can browser cache affect date displays in Microsoft Lists?

Yes, an outdated or corrupted browser cache can cause display and formatting anomalies. Testing your list in an InPrivate or Incognito browser window helps determine if the browser is causing the date formatting problem.

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