You can set up conditional formatting in Excel for dates. We have included detailed examples you can try while reading the guide.

Pro Tip: To open formatting options, just select the cell (s) you want to format and press Ctrl-1 (Mac: Command-1). This actually works for anything in Excel: charts elements, images, etc.

Choose Format > Cells > Number tab, and this time click the Special option. Make sure that the Local value is set to English (United States) and you will see four special formats.

Click on the date/time cell. Go to Format > Number. Select the Custom date and time option. Select a date/time format. Click the Apply button. To learn more about these steps, continue reading.

Excel's conditional formatting lets you customize how your data displays, from changing colors and shading to adding icons and more. Here's how it works.