Date & Time

NOW Function in Excel

Returns the current date and time.

Syntax

  • =NOW()

Examples

  • =NOW() - Current date and time - Result: 1/21/2026 14:30
  • =INT(NOW()) - Current date only - Result: Today's date
  • =NOW()-A1 - Time elapsed since A1 - Result: Duration

Excel NOW function documentation

  • NOW returns the current date and time as an Excel serial value — date integer plus fractional time.
  • Syntax: =NOW(). Volatile — updates whenever Excel recalculates.
  • Use for timestamps, elapsed time since event (with subtraction), and audit trails.
  • Related: [TODAY](/functions/today/), [TIME](/functions/time/), [HOUR](/functions/hour/), [MINUTE](/functions/minute/).

NOW syntax and display formatting

  • Format as Date to hide time portion visually — value still includes time internally.
  • Extract date only: =INT(NOW()) equivalent to TODAY for date part at calculation moment.
  • Extract time only: =NOW()-INT(NOW()) or use TEXT(NOW(), "hh:mm:ss").
  • Heavy use of NOW slows large models — limit volatile functions on big sheets.

Step-by-step: timestamp when status changes

  • Step 1 — Status dropdown in B2 (Open, Closed).
  • Step 2 — Static timestamp needs VBA or manual entry; formula approach: =IF(B2="Closed", IF(C2="", NOW(), C2), "") with iterative calc off.
  • Step 3 — Simpler audit: helper =NOW() in header "Report generated at".
  • Step 4 — Copy header value → Paste Values before sending PDF snapshot.
  • Step 5 — Prefer Power Automate or VBA for true event-driven timestamps.

NOW vs TODAY vs keyboard shortcuts

  • NOW — live date-time for generated reports.
  • TODAY — live date only for day-based KPIs.
  • Ctrl+Shift+: inserts static time; Ctrl+; inserts static date.
  • Freeze NOW: Paste Values after calculation for fixed export time.

Worked examples to copy

  • Report header: ="Generated "&TEXT(NOW(), "yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm").
  • Hours since login: =(NOW()-A2)*24 when A2 stores prior NOW snapshot.
  • Date part only: =INT(NOW()).
  • Compare same day: =INT(A2)=INT(NOW()).

People also ask

  • NOW vs TODAY difference? — NOW includes time; TODAY is date at midnight.
  • Why NOW keeps changing? — Volatile function recalculates on every calc.
  • Stop NOW from updating? — Replace formula with Paste Special → Values.
  • NOW timezone? — Uses computer local time, not UTC unless you adjust manually.

Common errors

  • Volatile - recalculates on every change
  • Returns serial number, format as date/time

Use cases

  • Timestamps
  • Time tracking
  • Duration calculations

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the difference between NOW and TODAY? NOW returns date AND time, TODAY returns date only (time = 00:00). =NOW() might be 45678.625 (date + time), =TODAY() is 45678 (date only). Use TODAY for date comparisons, NOW for timestamps.
  • Why does NOW keep changing? NOW is volatile - it recalculates whenever Excel recalculates. For a fixed timestamp, use Ctrl+; for date, Ctrl+Shift+; for time, or paste as values.
  • How do I get just the time from NOW? Use =NOW()-TODAY() or =MOD(NOW(),1). Both return just the time portion. Format the cell as time to display properly.
  • How do I calculate hours worked? =NOW()-StartTime gives duration as decimal days. Multiply by 24 for hours: =(NOW()-A1)*24. Format as number or [h]:mm for hours:minutes.
  • Can I stop NOW from updating? Copy the cell and Paste Special > Values to freeze the timestamp. Or use VBA to capture time on specific events. NOW will always update on recalculation.

Editorial review

  • Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.

When to use NOW

  • Timestamps — common Date & Time scenario for NOW.
  • Time tracking — common Date & Time scenario for NOW.
  • Duration calculations — common Date & Time scenario for NOW.

NOW in the Date & Time category

  • Browse all Date & Time functions at /categories/date-time/ for related formulas.
  • NOW syntax: =NOW()
  • Confirm NOW arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
  • Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.

Formula checklist before you copy down

  • Confirm NOW arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
  • Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.
  • If results look wrong, check for text stored as numbers and invisible spaces with TRIM.
  • Spot-check three known input rows manually against expected output.

Related Excel functions

  • TODAY (/functions/today/): Returns the current date. Updates automatically when the worksheet recalculates.
  • DATE (/functions/date/): Creates a date from year, month, and day components.
  • TIME (/functions/time/): Returns the decimal number for a particular time.
  • HOUR (/functions/hour/): Returns the hour of a time value as a number from 0 to 23.
  • MINUTE (/functions/minute/): Returns the minute of a time value as a number from 0 to 59.

Errors to watch for

  • Volatile - recalculates on every change — review causes on linked error pages in the directory.
  • Returns serial number, format as date/time — review causes on linked error pages in the directory.

Copy-paste audit workflow

  • Enter NOW on three test rows with known expected output documented on a QA tab.
  • Fill down only after absolute references are locked on lookup tables and rate tables.
  • Compare against manual calculation or a calculator for financial and statistical functions.
  • Search this directory for comparison guides when choosing between similar functions in the same category.

NOW worked examples to copy

  • =NOW() — Current date and time. Expected result: 1/21/2026 14:30.
  • =INT(NOW()) — Current date only. Expected result: Today's date.
  • =NOW()-A1 — Time elapsed since A1. Expected result: Duration.

NOW reference summary for crawlers and offline review

  • NOW belongs to the Date & Time category in Excel. Returns the current date and time.
  • Full syntax: =NOW(). Open /functions/now/ for parameters, FAQs, and related pages.
  • Common mistakes: Volatile - recalculates on every change; Returns serial number, format as date/time
  • Pair this function with comparison guides when another Excel formula might fit the same task better.
  • Review fix-excel-formula-errors when unexpected errors appear after upgrading Excel or sharing across locales.