If you type a numeric value into Excel that looks like a date, Excel will automatically convert the value to a date.

For example, if you type 1-6 or 1/6 then Excel will automatically display this value as 6-Jan because it assumes you meant for the value to be a date.

In most cases, this is a helpful correction by Excel.

However, sometimes you actually want the cell to display 1-6 or 1/6.

There are two ways to prevent Excel from changing numbers to dates:

Method 1: Specify Text as the Format

Method 2: Use an Apostrophe Before the Number

The following examples show how to use each method in practice.

Example 1: Specify Text as the Format

Suppose I attempt to enter the values 1/6, 1/16, 1/19, 2/20 … into Excel:

By default, Excel converts these values into dates.

To prevent Excel from converting these values into dates, I can first highlight the range A1:A14 where I want to enter these values, then click the Number Format dropdown menu from the Home tab, then click Text:

Now when I enter the values 1/6, 1/16, 1/19, 2/20 … into column A the values will appear as text instead of dates:

Example 2: Use an Apostrophe Before the Number

For example, instead of typing 1/6 I would type ‘1/6 into cell A1:

I can repeat this for each value in column A:

Each value in column A now appears exactly how I entered it instead of being shown as dates.

The following tutorials explain how to perform other common tasks in Excel: