When working with Google Sheets, it’s not uncommon to encounter issues with formatting and date display. One such issue is when your sheet suddenly changes the time format to military time, also known as 24-hour clock. This can be frustrating, especially if you’re used to working with a 12-hour clock. In this article, we’ll explore the reasons behind this issue and provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to stop Google Sheets from changing to military time.
Why Does Google Sheets Change to Military Time?
Google Sheets uses the locale settings of your device or browser to determine the time format. This means that if your device or browser is set to a locale that uses the 24-hour clock, such as many European countries, Google Sheets may default to military time. Additionally, some add-ons or extensions may also cause this issue.
How to Stop Google Sheets from Changing to Military Time
In this section, we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to stop Google Sheets from changing to military time. We’ll cover both the manual and automated methods to achieve this.
Manual Method:
- Open your Google Sheet and select the cell that contains the date.
- Right-click on the cell and select “Format cells.”
- In the “Format cells” dialog box, select the “Number” tab.
- Under “Time,” select “Custom” and enter the format you prefer (e.g., “12:00 AM” or “3:00 PM”).
- Click “OK” to apply the changes.
Automated Method:
- Open your Google Sheet and select the entire sheet by pressing “Ctrl+A” (Windows) or “Cmd+A” (Mac).
- Go to the “Tools” menu and select “Script editor.”
- In the script editor, create a new script by clicking on the “Create” button.
- Paste the following code into the script editor:
- Save the script by clicking on the “Save” button.
- Go back to your Google Sheet and click on the “Run” button to apply the script.
function formatTime() {
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
var range = sheet.getRange("A1:A10"); // adjust the range as needed
range.numberFormat = "hh:mm AM/PM";
}
By following these steps, you should be able to stop Google Sheets from changing to military time. Remember to adjust the range and format as needed to suit your specific needs.
How To Stop Google Sheets From Changing To Military Time
Google Sheets is a powerful tool for data analysis and management, but sometimes it can be frustrating when it changes the time format to military time without your consent. In this article, we will guide you on how to stop Google Sheets from changing to military time and stick to the 12-hour clock format.
Why Does Google Sheets Change to Military Time?
Google Sheets changes to military time for a few reasons:
- When you enter a time in the 24-hour format, Google Sheets assumes it’s in military time and converts it to the 12-hour format.
- When you format a cell as a time, Google Sheets automatically sets it to the 24-hour format, which can be confusing if you’re used to the 12-hour format.
- When you import data from another source, such as a CSV file, Google Sheets may convert the time format to military time if the source file is in the 24-hour format.
How to Stop Google Sheets From Changing to Military Time
To stop Google Sheets from changing to military time, you can follow these steps: (See Also: How To Delete Columns Google Sheets)
Step 1: Format Your Cells as Text
When you enter a time in a cell, Google Sheets will automatically convert it to the 24-hour format if the cell is formatted as a time. To prevent this, you can format the cell as text instead:
1. Select the cell containing the time.
2. Go to the “Format” tab in the top menu.
3. Click on “Number” and then select “Text” from the drop-down menu.
4. Enter the time in the 12-hour format (e.g., 3:00 PM).
Step 2: Use the “Time” Format with a Custom Time Zone
When you format a cell as a time, you can specify a custom time zone to prevent Google Sheets from changing the time format to military time:
1. Select the cell containing the time.
2. Go to the “Format” tab in the top menu.
3. Click on “Number” and then select “Time” from the drop-down menu. (See Also: How To Add Status In Google Sheets)
4. In the “Time” format dialog box, select “Custom” from the “Time zone” drop-down menu.
5. Enter the time zone you want to use (e.g., “Pacific Standard Time”).
Step 3: Use a Third-Party Add-on
If you’re using Google Sheets frequently and need to stop Google Sheets from changing to military time, you can use a third-party add-on to help you achieve this:
1. Go to the Google Sheets add-on store.
2. Search for “time format” or “12-hour clock” and install the add-on that best suits your needs.
3. Follow the add-on’s instructions to set up the time format you want to use.
Recap
In this article, we discussed why Google Sheets changes to military time and how to stop it from doing so. We covered three steps to achieve this: formatting cells as text, using the “Time” format with a custom time zone, and using a third-party add-on. By following these steps, you can ensure that Google Sheets uses the 12-hour clock format and avoid any confusion caused by the 24-hour format.
Here are five FAQs related to “How To Stop Google Sheets From Changing To Military Time”:
FAQs: Stopping Google Sheets From Changing To Military Time
Q: Why is my Google Sheet automatically converting to military time?
Google Sheets automatically converts dates and times to military time (24-hour clock) if the format is not specified. This is a default setting to ensure consistency in data entry and formatting.
Q: How do I stop Google Sheets from changing to military time?
To stop Google Sheets from changing to military time, you can specify the date and time format in the sheet settings. Go to the “File” menu, select “Spreadsheet settings,” and then click on the “General” tab. In the “Date and time” section, select the desired format from the dropdown menu or enter a custom format.
Q: What are the common date and time formats used in Google Sheets?
Google Sheets supports various date and time formats, including 12-hour clock (AM/PM) and 24-hour clock (military time). Some common formats include MM/DD/YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY, YYYY-MM-DD, and HH:MM AM/PM. You can also use custom formats using the ISO 8601 standard.
Q: Can I apply a specific date and time format to a particular cell or range of cells?
Yes, you can apply a specific date and time format to a particular cell or range of cells using the “Format” option in the “Number” menu. Select the cells you want to format, go to the “Number” menu, and then select “Number format” and choose the desired format from the dropdown menu.
Q: How do I reset the date and time format in Google Sheets to its default setting?
To reset the date and time format in Google Sheets to its default setting, go to the “File” menu, select “Spreadsheet settings,” and then click on the “General” tab. In the “Date and time” section, select the “Default” option from the dropdown menu. This will reset the format to the default 24-hour clock (military time) format.