TODAY
Returns the current date. The value updates automatically when the worksheet is recalculated.
TODAY()=TODAY()Returns today's date (e.g., 01/22/2026)
=TODAY()+30Returns the date 30 days from today
=YEAR(TODAY())Extracts the current year (e.g., 2026)
- •TODAY has no arguments, just use empty parentheses: TODAY()
- •Updates every time the workbook recalculates
- •Use NOW() if you also need the current time
- •Expecting TODAY to update automatically overnight without recalculating - it does update, but only when the workbook recalculates, which can be disabled in manual calculation mode
- •Using TODAY inside a formula meant to record a fixed date, like a creation date, which then keeps changing every single day instead of staying fixed
- •Forgetting TODAY returns a date with no time component, so comparisons against NOW (which includes time) can behave unexpectedly
Why does TODAY show yesterday's date sometimes?
The workbook probably hasn't recalculated yet - check if calculation mode is set to Manual instead of Automatic, or press F9 to force a recalculation.
How do I record today's date as a fixed value that won't change tomorrow?
Use Ctrl+; to insert today's date as a static value, or copy the TODAY() result and paste it as a value instead of a formula.
Does TODAY include the current time?
No, it returns only the date at midnight. Use NOW() if you need the current time as well.
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