Excel Date Picker: add a pop-up calendar to cells

Excel for Windows and Mac has no calendar button for cells. Here are the options that work.

1. Make typing safe: date validation

1. Select the cells.
2. Data › Data Validation › Allow: Date.
3. Set between e.g. 01/01/2026 and 31/12/2027.
4. Input Message tab: “Type a date like 29/09/2026”.

No pop-up, but only real dates get in. See data validation.

2. A calendar add-in

Home › Add-ins (or Insert › Get Add-ins), search date picker. Several free ones show a calendar beside the selected cell. Check the reviews and permissions first.

3. Keyboard shortcuts

• Ctrl+; puts today’s date in the cell.
• Type 29/9 and Excel adds the current year.

4. A dropdown of dates

List the dates you allow somewhere (e.g. next 30 working days with =WORKDAY(TODAY(),SEQUENCE(30))) and use a drop-down list pointing at them.

5. Old DTPicker control

32-bit Office only, and often missing. Not worth relying on for shared files.

6. Microsoft Forms

A Forms date question gives everyone a calendar, and answers land in Excel.

After picking

Show it how you like: date format.