Skip to main content

How to extract date from text strings in Excel?

Author: Xiaoyang Last Modified: 2024-09-25

In Excel worksheet, how could you extract the date from text strings as following screenshot shown? This article, I will talk about a useful formula to solve it.

Extract date from text strings with array formula in worksheet

Only dates extracted from each cell


Extract date from text strings with array formula in worksheet

To extract only date from a list of text strings, the following array formula can help you, please do as this:

1. Enter the below formula into a blank cell where you want to get the result, and then press Enter keys together, and only the date is extracted as following screenshot shown:

=MID(A2,MIN(IFERROR(MIN(FIND({0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9},A2&"0123456789",1)),LEN(A2)+1)),LOOKUP(1,0*MID(A2,ROW(INDIRECT("1:"&LEN(A2))),1),ROW(INDIRECT("1:"&LEN(A2)))) + 1 - MIN(IFERROR(MIN(FIND({0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9},A2&"0123456789",1)),LEN(A2)+1)))

Formula entered in a cell

2. Then select the formula cell, and drag the fill handle down to the cells you want to apply this formula, and you will get the results as you need, see screenshot:

Formula populated to the column

  • Notes:
  • In the above formula, A2 is the cell which contains the date you want to extract;
  • If the cell contains other numbers, this formula will not work correctly;
  • The formula cannot correctly extract date while there is more than one date in the text string.

Convert various non-standard dates to normal real date in Excel

With the Convert to Date utility of Kutools for Excel, you can quickly convert various non-standard dates to normal real dates at the same time in Excel. Click to download Kutools for Excel!

Kutools' Convert to Date interface and use case example

Kutools for Excel: with more than 300 handy Excel add-ins, free to try with no limitation in 30 days. Download and free trial Now!

a screenshot of kutools for excel ai

Unlock Excel Magic with Kutools AI

  • Smart Execution: Perform cell operations, analyze data, and create charts—all driven by simple commands.
  • Custom Formulas: Generate tailored formulas to streamline your workflows.
  • VBA Coding: Write and implement VBA code effortlessly.
  • Formula Interpretation: Understand complex formulas with ease.
  • Text Translation: Break language barriers within your spreadsheets.
Enhance your Excel capabilities with AI-powered tools. Download Now and experience efficiency like never before!

Best Office Productivity Tools

🤖 Kutools AI Aide: Revolutionize data analysis based on: Intelligent Execution   |  Generate Code  |  Create Custom Formulas  |  Analyze Data and Generate Charts  |  Invoke Kutools Functions
Popular Features: Find, Highlight or Identify Duplicates   |  Delete Blank Rows   |  Combine Columns or Cells without Losing Data   |   Round without Formula ...
Super Lookup: Multiple Criteria VLookup    Multiple Value VLookup  |   VLookup Across Multiple Sheets   |   Fuzzy Lookup ....
Advanced Drop-down List: Quickly Create Drop Down List   |  Dependent Drop Down List   |  Multi-select Drop Down List ....
Column Manager: Add a Specific Number of Columns  |  Move Columns  |  Toggle Visibility Status of Hidden Columns  |  Compare Ranges & Columns ...
Featured Features: Grid Focus   |  Design View   |   Big Formula Bar    Workbook & Sheet Manager   |  Resource Library (Auto Text)   |  Date Picker   |  Combine Worksheets   |  Encrypt/Decrypt Cells    Send Emails by List   |  Super Filter   |   Special Filter (filter bold/italic/strikethrough...) ...
Top 15 Toolsets12 Text Tools (Add Text, Remove Characters, ...)   |   50+ Chart Types (Gantt Chart, ...)   |   40+ Practical Formulas (Calculate age based on birthday, ...)   |   19 Insertion Tools (Insert QR Code, Insert Picture from Path, ...)   |   12 Conversion Tools (Numbers to Words, Currency Conversion, ...)   |   7 Merge & Split Tools (Advanced Combine Rows, Split Cells, ...)   |   ... and more
Use Kutools in your preferred language – supports English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, and 40+ others!

Supercharge Your Excel Skills with Kutools for Excel, and Experience Efficiency Like Never Before. Kutools for Excel Offers Over 300 Advanced Features to Boost Productivity and Save Time.  Click Here to Get The Feature You Need The Most...


Office Tab Brings Tabbed interface to Office, and Make Your Work Much Easier

  • Enable tabbed editing and reading in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access, Visio and Project.
  • Open and create multiple documents in new tabs of the same window, rather than in new windows.
  • Increases your productivity by 50%, and reduces hundreds of mouse clicks for you every day!