In Excel: use =TODAY() for the current date and =NOW() for the current date and time — both are volatile and update on every recalculation.
On this page8
Syntax
Arguments
| Argument | required / optional | Description |
|---|---|---|
today | optional | Neither takes arguments — the empty brackets are required. |
Related functions
Decide first whether the value should move with the calendar or stay fixed.
For a live value type =TODAY() or =NOW(), including the empty brackets.
For a fixed stamp press Ctrl+; for the date, or Ctrl+Shift+; for the time.
Format the result as a date or date-time; a subtraction result should be formatted as a plain number.
What this does
TODAY returns the current date; NOW returns the date with the time attached. Both are volatile: they recalculate whenever anything in the workbook changes, so a cell holding =TODAY() is not a record of when something happened, it is always "now". That is the single most consequential thing to know about them — a timestamp meant to stay put must be entered with Ctrl+; (date) or Ctrl+Shift+; (time), or pasted as a value. Their genuine use is anything that should move with the calendar: ageing an invoice, counting days remaining, driving a conditional format for overdue rows. Most people learn this as a sequence of clicks and forget it by next week; learning it as a pattern instead is what lets you apply it to the next, slightly different version of the problem without starting from scratch. That is the difference this page is trying to make. The difference between a quick fix and a sheet you can trust is the extra minute you spend validating “now function in excel”. Start on a copy or a tiny sample, keep the affected formula visible, and compare the result with the outcome you expected before you touch the real workbook. When a formula is involved, keep the inputs labelled beside it, reference cells instead of typing values, and apply number formatting only after the result checks out. The point is a calculation you can defend to a CFO or an auditor, but the practical win is that someone else can open the file and understand what happened without asking you.
A worked example
Days a receivable has been outstanding: =TODAY()-A2, formatted as a number rather than a date. Flagging overdue rows with conditional formatting: =AND(A2<TODAY(), B2<>"Paid"). Days remaining until a deadline: =A2-TODAY(). A static stamp instead — press Ctrl+; which types the date once and never changes it. TODAY and NOW are what make an ageing report age itself — and knowing they are volatile is what stops them being used as timestamps. Check the referenced cells, argument order and result type in your workbook. Start with the worked example before changing an input, then compare the changed result with the calculation you expected. An error value or a result of a different type is a reason to inspect the inputs and arguments.
In Google Sheets
Google Sheets support for this task has not been verified. Check the function, arguments and workflow in the target product before transferring the example. Matching formula notation does not establish identical behaviour. Nothing on this page is behind a login or a download: the exact answer is at the top, and the detail below it is there for when you need it. That is the whole promise here — the answer first, and just enough context to make it stick. For “now function in excel”, keep the input cells and the result visible while you check the formula in Excel. Follow the worked example and change one input at a time. The steps explain the workbook calculation; this page does not run a live calculator for that task.
Common mistakes
- Using
=TODAY()as a record of when something was entered, which rewrites itself every time the file opens. - Formatting a date difference as a date, which shows 1900-01-15 instead of 14 days.
- Forgetting the brackets;
=TODAYwithout them returns#NAME?.
Frequently asked questions
How do I insert a date that does not change?
Press Ctrl+; for the date or Ctrl+Shift+; for the time. Those type a fixed value rather than a formula.
What is the difference between TODAY and NOW?
TODAY returns just the date; NOW includes the time as the fractional part of the day.
Why does my "days between" result show a date?
The result cell inherited a date format. Change it to General or Number and the count appears.
Other ways people ask this
People reach this page typing “function now excel”, “how to use the now function in excel”, “how do you use the now function in excel” and “excel date now function”, among other phrasings; whichever wording you used, the fix above is the one you want.
Why do people search for this in so many different ways?
Because the same task has many names. “function now excel”, “how to use the now function in excel”, “how do you use the now function in excel” all point at the one operation explained on this page, which is why they all lead here.