Merge tag: {date_updated}
Entry updated date.
| Product | Gravity Forms |
|---|---|
| Requires | Gravity Forms 1.0 or later |
| Needs an entry | Yes: its value comes from a form entry |
Modifiers
What the merge tag picker offers on this tag.
What to show
| Modifier | Description | Requires |
|---|---|---|
diff | Time difference from now. Renders as "3 days ago". Changes the default format string, so it also acts on format when both are present. | Gravity Forms 1.9 or later |
human | Relative date. Renders as "3 hours ago" only while the value is under 24 hours old; a formatted date otherwise. Unlike diff, which is always relative. | Gravity Forms 1.9 or later |
raw | Raw stored date. The value exactly as stored, with no formatting or timezone shift. Beats every other date modifier. | Gravity Forms 1.9 or later |
timestamp | Unix timestamp. | Gravity Forms 1.9 or later |
Change the output
| Modifier | Description | Requires |
|---|---|---|
format | Custom date format. A PHP date() format string. The format is the NEXT colon-separated token, not part of this one; escape any literal colon inside it as \:. | Gravity Forms 1.9 or later |
Other settings
| Modifier | Description | Requires |
|---|---|---|
time | Include the time. Appends the time to the formatted date. Ignored when raw, timestamp or diff wins. | Gravity Forms 1.9 or later |
Examples
Rendered by real Gravity Forms and GravityKit PHP against a test entry.
| Merge tag | Output |
|---|---|
{date_updated} | January 15, 2026 |
With a modifier
| Merge tag | Output | Without the modifier |
|---|---|---|
{date_updated:raw} | 2026-01-15 06:10:00 | January 15, 2026 |
{date_updated:timestamp} | 1768439400 | January 15, 2026 |
{date_updated:diff} | 3 hours ago | January 15, 2026 |
{date_updated:human} | 3 hours ago | January 15, 2026 |
{date_updated:time} | January 15, 2026 at 1:10 am | January 15, 2026 |
{date_updated:format:Y-m-d} | 2026-01-15 | January 15, 2026 |
{date_updated:raw}Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs. | 2026-01-06 09:10:00 | January 15, 2026 |
{date_updated:timestamp}Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs. | 1767672600 | January 15, 2026 |
{date_updated:diff}Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs. | 1 week ago | January 15, 2026 |
{date_updated:human}Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs. | January 6, 2026 | January 15, 2026 |
{date_updated:format:Y-m-d}Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs. | 2026-01-06 | January 15, 2026 |