What tokens does the strftime Date Formatter support?

It supports the common strftime tokens %Y %y %m %d %e %H %I %M %S %p %A %a %B %b %j %w %u and %%, plus the shorthands %F (equivalent to %Y-%m-%d) and %T (equivalent to %H:%M:%S). Every token is listed with a description and example in the reference table below the format field.

Does the strftime Date Formatter match Python's datetime.strftime()?

It implements the same token names Python's datetime.strftime() uses for the common cases, so a format string like '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' produces the same output you would get from Python, C, or most Unix date-formatting libraries.

Can I preview a date in UTC instead of my local time zone?

Yes. Turn on the UTC toggle and the strftime Date Formatter reads the year, month, day, and time-of-day tokens from the UTC representation of your chosen date instead of your browser's local time zone.

How is %e different from %d in this strftime formatter?

%d always zero-pads the day of month to two digits ('05'), while %e space-pads it (' 5') for single-digit days, matching the traditional strftime behavior used in log and report formats.

Does the strftime Date Formatter upload the date I enter?

No. The date, time, and format string you enter are formatted locally in your browser. Nothing is sent to ArrayKit or any other server.

Can I click a token instead of typing it?

Yes. Clicking any row in the token reference table appends that token to the end of your current format string, which is handy for building longer formats without memorizing every code.

strftime Date Formatter Online

Format a date with strftime tokens like %Y, %m and %d and preview the output live, right in your browser.

The strftime Date Formatter runs entirely in your browser. The date, time, and format string you enter stay on your device and are never uploaded to ArrayKit.

Open the Timestamp Converter

About strftime Date Formatter

strftime Date Formatter lets you type a strftime-style format string — the same %Y, %m, %d, %H:%M:%S tokens used by Python, C, and dozens of other languages — and see the formatted result update instantly as you type. Pick any date and time, or start from now, toggle between your local time zone and UTC, and copy the finished string with one click. A clickable reference table lists every supported token with a description and a live example, so you can build a format like "%A, %B %e, %Y" without leaving the page or digging through documentation. It is built for developers debugging a log timestamp format, writing a Python date.strftime() call, configuring a cron job's log rotation pattern, or just double-checking what %e or %j actually renders as. Everything runs locally in your browser — the date you pick never leaves your device.

Features

Live preview that updates as you edit the format string
Datetime-local picker defaulting to the current moment, or type any date
UTC toggle to format against UTC instead of your local time zone
Clickable token reference table that inserts a token into the format
Supports common tokens: %Y %y %m %d %e %H %I %M %S %p %A %a %B %b %j %w %u
Shorthand tokens %F (ISO date) and %T (24-hour time)
One-click copy of the formatted output
Runs entirely in your browser with no dates uploaded anywhere

How to use the strftime Date Formatter

Pick a date and time, or leave it at the current moment
Type a strftime format string, or click tokens from the reference table below
Toggle UTC if you want the output in UTC instead of local time
Copy the live-formatted output with the copy button

Example

Input

%A, %B %e, %Y

Output

Monday, January  5, 2026

%A gives the weekday name, %B the month name, and %e space-pads the day to two characters.

Common errors & troubleshooting

The formatted output shows a percent sign followed by a letter instead of a value. — That token is not supported. Check the reference table below the format field for the exact list of tokens the strftime Date Formatter understands.
The time is off by several hours from what was expected. — Turn on the UTC toggle if you meant to format in UTC, or leave it off to format using your browser's local time zone.
%e shows an unexpected extra space before single-digit days. — That is expected — %e space-pads the day to two characters (e.g. ' 5'), while %d zero-pads it ('05'). Use %d if you want no space.
%% is not producing a literal percent sign. — Make sure the format string uses two consecutive percent characters, %%, with no space between them.

Frequently asked questions

What tokens does the strftime Date Formatter support?: It supports the common strftime tokens %Y %y %m %d %e %H %I %M %S %p %A %a %B %b %j %w %u and %%, plus the shorthands %F (equivalent to %Y-%m-%d) and %T (equivalent to %H:%M:%S). Every token is listed with a description and example in the reference table below the format field.
Does the strftime Date Formatter match Python's datetime.strftime()?: It implements the same token names Python's datetime.strftime() uses for the common cases, so a format string like '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' produces the same output you would get from Python, C, or most Unix date-formatting libraries.
Can I preview a date in UTC instead of my local time zone?: Yes. Turn on the UTC toggle and the strftime Date Formatter reads the year, month, day, and time-of-day tokens from the UTC representation of your chosen date instead of your browser's local time zone.
How is %e different from %d in this strftime formatter?: %d always zero-pads the day of month to two digits ('05'), while %e space-pads it (' 5') for single-digit days, matching the traditional strftime behavior used in log and report formats.
Does the strftime Date Formatter upload the date I enter?: No. The date, time, and format string you enter are formatted locally in your browser. Nothing is sent to ArrayKit or any other server.
Can I click a token instead of typing it?: Yes. Clicking any row in the token reference table appends that token to the end of your current format string, which is handy for building longer formats without memorizing every code.

Related tools

Unix Timestamp Converter — Convert between Unix timestamps and human dates (local + UTC).
Date Calculator — Add or subtract years, months, weeks and days from a date to find the resulting date.
Duration Converter — Convert a duration between seconds, minutes, hours, days, HH:MM:SS and human formats.
Cron Expression Generator — Visually build a cron expression with live preview, a plain-English summary and next run times.
ISO Week Number Calculator — Find the ISO-8601 week number for any date, and the date range for a given week.
World Clock & Time Zone Converter — Compare times across cities on an aligned 24-hour grid and plan meetings — right in your browser.