Formula Guide

The Excel TODAY Function
explained simply

TODAY returns the current date and updates automatically every time the file is opened or recalculated.

ExcelPro · 3 min read · Updated June 2026
Contents
  1. What does TODAY do?
  2. Syntax
  3. 4 examples
  4. Common mistakes
  5. FAQ

What does TODAY do?

TODAY returns today's date as a real date value, with no time portion. It takes no arguments and recalculates automatically whenever the spreadsheet opens or anything triggers a recalculation.

Because it always reflects the current date, it is the basis for most "days since," "days until," and "age as of today" calculations.

Syntax

=TODAY()
ArgumentDescription

Examples

Example 1
Today's date
=TODAY()

Returns the current date, formatted according to the cell's date format.

Example 2
Days since a given date
=TODAY()-A2

Subtracts a stored date from today to find how many days have passed.

Example 3
Days until a deadline
=A2-TODAY()

If A2 is a future date, this returns how many days remain until it.

Example 4
Flag overdue items
=IF(A2<TODAY(),"Overdue","OK")

Compares a due date against today to flag anything already past.

Common mistakes

⚠️ Expecting TODAY to stay fixed

It recalculates every time the file opens — a formula that showed "5 days ago" yesterday will show "6 days ago" today, since TODAY() itself moved forward.

⚠️ Confusing TODAY with NOW

TODAY returns only the date with no time. NOW returns both date and time.

FAQ

Does TODAY ever need to be manually updated?
No — it always reflects the real current date whenever the formula recalculates.
Can I freeze a TODAY() result so it stops updating?
Copy the cell and paste it as a value (paste special > values) to lock in that specific date permanently.

Practise TODAY with real data

ExcelPro has hands-on TODAY exercises built into real job scenarios — free to start.

Try TODAY exercises →

Related formulas

NOW DATEDIF NETWORKDAYS