Forum Discussion
Excel overrules Windows regional setting for two digit year translation
Default setting (1950-2049) in Windows 11 doesn't work from the box, we need first to "activate" it. Change on 1951-2050 or whatever you prefer. Apply. After that you may return back to 1950-2049 and apply again. It shall work now, 30 goes to 2030. Not necessary to restart Excel after the setting is applied.
The only thing I can suggest is to pre-convert the cells to text and use error checking to check for the century if necessary.
Or type an apostrophe (‘) before a number, example: '01.02.30.
The apostrophe does not appear in the cell after pressing Enter.
- Thanks, but as said: I'm NOT looking for a workaround.
My question was rather specific if there was any Windows option I overlooked that is making Excel ignore the Windows setting. Because according to MS's own information Excel should follow Windows on this.
And anyway: adding the apostrophe is as much of a hassle as typing a 4-digit date. And by rendering the input to text you can't use formulas calculating the no. of days between two dates. And this is exactly the reason why the century actually IS relevant in the first place.
So thanks, but unless you have an answer to my question: "Is there a Windows option I overlooked that is making Excel ignore the Windows setting (contrary to MS's own design)", pls ignore this thread.I came looking for the same issue and you have identified an issue that Microsoft seem to have overlooked.
On Windows 11 using Microsoft 365, I found that the custom 2-digit date conversion for the Calendar has been moved forward to interpret the year as between 1950 and 2049. Having been born in 1952, I think that Microsoft have jumped a bit far in the OS, but Excel ignores this setting and, as you rightly point out, converts a year like 33 as 1933.
I suspect that Excel is not looking at this OS setting on startup.
I found that if you go and change the setting in the advanced tab- then scroll to When calculating the workbook- check the Use 1904 date system.
