Modifier `:format`

:format does different things on different tags and fields:

Custom date format on {date_created}, {date_updated}, {payment_date}, and {today}, under Change the output in the picker.
Example: {date_created:format:Y-m-d} gives 2026-01-15.
Custom date format on Date and Time fields, under Change the output in the picker.
Example: {Pickup Time:129:format:Y-m-d} gives 2026-01-15. On the test form, this field is {Pickup Time:129} (Time).
Custom date format on {now}, {yesterday}, and {tomorrow}, under Change the output in the picker.
Example: {now:format:Y-m-d} gives 2026-01-15.

Custom date format

A PHP date() format, written after it: {date_created:format:Y-m-d}. Write a colon inside the format as \:.

The format uses PHP date letters, like Y for a four-digit year. See PHP's table of date format letters.

A comma needs no backslash here: everything after format:, up to the closing brace, is the format. A backslash before it (\,) also works.

Product	Gravity Forms
Requires	Gravity Forms 1.9 or later
In the picker	Change the output, for {date_created}, {date_updated}, {payment_date}, and {today}

Examples

Output from the real plugin code, run on a test entry.

Merge tag	Output	Without the modifier
`{date_created:format:Y-m-d}`	`2026-01-15`	`January 15, 2026`
`{date_updated:format:Y-m-d}`	`2026-01-15`	`January 15, 2026`
`{payment_date:format:Y-m-d}`	`2026-01-15`	`January 15, 2026`
`{today:format:Y-m-d}`	`2026-01-15`	`January 15, 2026`
`{date_created:format:Y-m-d}` Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs.	`2026-01-13`	`January 15, 2026`
`{date_updated:format:Y-m-d}` Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs.	`2026-01-13`	`January 15, 2026`
`{payment_date:format:Y-m-d}` Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs.	`2026-01-13`	`January 15, 2026`

Works on

Merge tags: {date_created} · {date_updated} · {payment_date} · {today}.

Custom date format

A PHP date() format, written after it: format:Y-m-d. Write a colon inside the format as \:. Case matters: format:Y-m-d and format:y-m-d are different dates.

Works in any merge tag while GravityView is active, including Gravity Forms notifications.

The format uses PHP date letters, like Y for a four-digit year. See PHP's table of date format letters.

Put a backslash before each comma, like format:l\, F jS\, Y. GravityView splits modifiers at each comma, so without the backslash the format stops at the first comma.

Product	GravityView
Requires	GravityView 2.26 or later
In the picker	Change the output, for Date and Time fields

How to use it

Write a date out in words

Uses PHP date characters. Put a backslash before each comma, or the date stops there.

Write

Born on {Birthday:13:format:l\, F jS\, Y}

Get

Born on Friday, April 27th, 1979

Examples

Output from the real plugin code, run on a test entry.

Merge tag	Output	Without the modifier
`{Birthday:13:format:m\:d}`	`04:27`	`04/27/1979`

Works on

Form fields: Date · Time.

Custom date format

A PHP date() format. Everything after format: is the format, so put it last. Write a colon as \:.

Works in any merge tag while GravityView is active, including Gravity Forms notifications.

The format uses PHP date letters, like Y for a four-digit year. See PHP's table of date format letters.

A comma needs no backslash here: everything after format:, up to the closing brace, is the format. A backslash before it (\,) also works.

Product	GravityView
Requires	GravityView 2.30 or later
In the picker	Change the output, for {now}, {yesterday}, and {tomorrow}

Examples

Output from the real plugin code, run on a test entry.

Merge tag	Output	Without the modifier
`{now:format:Y-m-d}`	`2026-01-15`	`January 15, 2026`
`{yesterday:format:Y-m-d}`	`2026-01-14`	`January 14, 2026`
`{tomorrow:format:Y-m-d}`	`2026-01-16`	`January 16, 2026`

Works on

Merge tags: {now} · {yesterday} · {tomorrow}.