[C#] Format DateTime as String Examples

Some examples and tips on C# DateTime formatting using string.Format() or .ToString() methods.

Standard DateTime format

Standard formats are typically used when you need a fast string representation of your DateTime object based on current culture.

DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
// Short date:
string.Format("{0:d}", date)   // 3/25/2026
// Long date:
string.Format("{0:D}", date)   // Wednesday, March 25, 2026 
// Short time:
string.Format("{0:t}", date)   // 12:18 AM
// Long time:
string.Format("{0:T}", date)   // 12:18:26 AM
// Full date/time (short time):
string.Format("{0:f}", date)   // Wednesday, March 25, 2026 12:18 AM
// Full date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:F}", date)   // Wednesday, March 25, 2026 12:18:26 AM
// General  date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:g}", date)   // 3/25/2026 12:18 AM
// General  date/time (long time):
string.Format("{0:G}", date)   // 3/25/2026 12:18:26 AM
// Sortable date/time:
string.Format("{0:s}", date)   // 2026-03-25T00:18:26

Custom DateTime format

Custom formats are useful when you need more flexibility on the output string format.

DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
string.Format("{0:MM/dd/yyyy}", date)   // 03/25/2026
string.Format("{0:MMMM dd, yyyy}", date)// March 25, 2026
string.Format("{0:MMM yyyy}", date)     // Mar 2026
string.Format("{0:hh:mm tt}", date)     // 12:18 AM

// Year patterns:
string.Format("{0:yy yyy yyyy}", date)  // 26 2026 2026
// Month patterns:
string.Format("{0:MM MMM MMMM}", date)  // 03 Mar March
// Day patterns:
string.Format("{0:dd ddd dddd}", date)  // 25 Wed Wednesday
// Hour
string.Format("{0:hh HH tt}", date)     // 12 00 AM
// Minute, second, second fraction 
string.Format("{0:mm ss ffff}", date)   // 18 26 0431

Format DateTime for a specific culture

When you format a DateTime with DateTime.ToString() you can also specify the culture to use.


using System.Globalization;
// ...
DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
// InvariantCulture 
CultureInfo invC = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture;
date.ToString("f", invC)        // Wednesday, 25 March 2026 00:18 
date.ToString("d", invC)        // 03/25/2026 
date.ToString("t", invC)        // 00:18 
// German CultureInfo 
CultureInfo deC = new CultureInfo("de-De");
date.ToString("f", deC)        // Mittwoch, 25. März 2026 00:18 
date.ToString("d", deC)        // 25.03.2026 
date.ToString("t", deC)        // 00:18 
// French CultureInfo 
CultureInfo frC = new CultureInfo("fr-FR");
date.ToString("f", frC)        // mercredi 25 mars 2026 00:18 
date.ToString("d", frC)        // 25/03/2026 
date.ToString("t", frC)        // 00:18 
// Spanish CultureInfo 
CultureInfo esC = new CultureInfo("es-ES");
date.ToString("f", esC)        // miércoles, 25 de marzo de 2026 0:18 
date.ToString("d", esC)        // 25/03/2026 
date.ToString("t", esC)        // 0:18

Character escape and text

Any characters not used by the formatter is reported in the result string. If you need to enter text with reserved characters that must be inserted between two ' (single quote).

DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
// Escaped date text
string.Format("{0:'y:' yyyy' m:' M 'd:' d}", date)  // y: 2026 m: 3 d: 25 
// Force time format to use ':' as separator ()
string.Format("{0:HH':'mm}", date)                  // 00:18

TOOL: Test you format string

A simple tool for test your format string.