User level: Level 1 (4 points)IOS Numbers. Region is set to UK. Data input as normal DD/MM but as text. When I select date format, it switches all possible dates to US version MM/DD. Is there a setting I need to change in order to continue inputting dates as normal (DD/MM) without them switching to US upon formatting? Thank you
Posted on Oct 12, 2026 7:32 AM
User level: Level 9 (62,211 points)Oct 12, 2026 2:14 PM in response to Luladoodles
Numbers uses (or should use) the OS setting for any newly-created document, but each document can override that setting.
If you opened a document created by someone else, for example, it could use that person's settings rather than your own preferences.
Check File -> Advanced -> Language & Region to check the settings for the current document.
User level: Level 7 (22,545 points)Oct 13, 2026 12:36 AM in response to Luladoodles
Hi Luladoodles,
I don't understand Data input as normal DD/MM but as text
Greetings from Australia where we use Day Month Year dates.
If I type 13 oct (lower case o) into a cell formatted as Automatic, and press return, Numbers follows my Region settings and I see 13 Oct (upper case O). The cell automatically becomes Automatic with Date & Time. There are options to change the Date & Time display.
Sorry, I must repeat: what do you mean by Data input as normal DD/MM but as text
What are you doing differently?
Perhaps some screen shots of the relevant cells of your document (and the accompanying Format Panel > Cell) will help us to see what you see.
Regards,
Ian.
P.S. Just to give you a boost, most of the world uses Day Month Year as their preferred date format.
Ian.
Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256374818