Date picker format
Why Does the Date Format Look Different?
When you see a date field like:
<input type="date">
it may display the date in different formats — for example:
- `MM/DD/YYYY` (e.g. 07/28/2025)
- `DD/MM/YYYY` (e.g. 28/07/2025)
- `YYYY-MM-DD` (e.g. 2025-07-28)
This is expected behavior and depends entirely on **your web browser and system settings**.
Why does this happen?
Project-GC uses a **standard HTML date input**, which is built into your web browser. The **format and appearance of this field are automatically determined by your browser and operating system**, based on your current language and region settings.
In other words, **Project-GC does not control how the date format appears** — it adapts to your local settings for consistency with the rest of your system.
Can I change the format I see?
Yes. If you prefer to see dates in the `YYYY-MM-DD` format (ISO 8601), you can adjust your browser’s language or locale settings.
How to show YYYY-MM-DD format
Here are some browser-specific ways to adjust your settings so that the date input shows dates in the `YYYY-MM-DD` format:
Google Chrome (Linux, Windows, macOS)
Chrome uses its own language settings to determine the date format.
To use ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD):
- Go to `chrome://settings/languages`
- Click "Add languages" and search for English (Canada)
- Add it, then move it to the top of the list
- Restart Chrome
This will display the date in the `YYYY-MM-DD` format while keeping the browser in English.
Mozilla Firefox
Firefox allows more flexibility and supports an internal setting to control the locale.
Option 1: Change language preference
- Go to `about:preferences`
- Under "Language and Appearance", click "Choose…" next to Language
- Add or move English (Canada) to the top
- Restart Firefox
Option 2 (Advanced): Override internal locale
- Visit `about:config` in the address bar
- Search for: `intl.locale.requested`
- If it does not exist, click "+" to add it as a new string
- Set its value to: `en-CA`
- Restart Firefox
This forces the browser to use the `en-CA` locale, which uses `YYYY-MM-DD`.
Microsoft Edge
Edge behaves the same as Chrome, as it is also based on the Chromium engine.
Steps:
- Go to `edge://settings/languages`
- Add English (Canada)
- Move it to the top
- Restart Edge
Apple Safari (macOS)
Safari uses the system-wide region setting from macOS.
To change date format:
- Open **System Settings** (or **System Preferences**)
- Go to **Language & Region**
- Change your Region to Canada
- Restart Safari
Note: This may affect date and number formatting in other applications on your Mac.
Test Your Browser
You can test how your browser displays a standard HTML date field using this simple external page:
→ W3Schools: Try <input type="date">
This page uses only standard HTML and is not part of Project-GC, making it a useful way to verify what your own browser and system are doing.
Summary Table
| Browser | How to show YYYY-MM-DD format |
|---|---|
| Chrome | Use English (Canada) in `chrome://settings/languages` |
| Firefox | Set language to English (Canada), or use `intl.locale.requested` in `about:config` |
| Edge | Use English (Canada) in `edge://settings/languages` |
| Safari | Change system Region to Canada in macOS settings |
Need Help?
If you have any trouble updating your settings or have other questions about the date format, feel free to reach out in the forums or contact Project-GC support.