Modifier `:human`

:human does different things on different tags and fields:

Relative date on {date_created}, {date_updated}, and {payment_date}, under What to show in the picker.
Example: {date_created:human} gives 3 hours ago.
Relative time on Date and Time fields, under Change the output in the picker.
Example: {Start Date:128:human} gives 2 months from now. On the test form, this field is {Start Date:128} (Date).

Relative date

Shows as "3 hours ago" for the first 24 hours, then as a date. diff is always relative.

Product	Gravity Forms
Requires	Gravity Forms 1.9 or later
In the picker	What to show, for {date_created}, {date_updated}, and {payment_date}

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

Merge tag	Output	Without the modifier
`{date_created:human}`	`3 hours ago`	`January 15, 2026`
`{date_updated:human}`	`3 hours ago`	`January 15, 2026`
`{payment_date:human}`	`3 hours ago`	`January 15, 2026`
`{date_created:human}` Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs.	`January 13, 2026`	`January 15, 2026`
`{date_updated:human}` Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs.	`January 13, 2026`	`January 15, 2026`
`{payment_date:human}` Rendered against an entry nine days older, where the result differs.	`January 13, 2026`	`January 15, 2026`

Always relative, like "3 days ago", unlike {date_created:human}. Date and Time fields only.

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

Product	GravityView
Requires	GravityView 2.29 or later
In the picker	Change the output, for Date and Time fields

Write

Born {Birthday:13:human}

Get

Born 47 years ago

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

Merge tag	Output	Without the modifier
`{Birthday:13:human}`	`47 years ago`	`04/27/1979`

Form fields: Date · Time.

Field kinds	Why
Date, after a custom format	Locked there. "Custom date format" already reads the value as a date. A second date step would read its result instead of the field’s value and give a wrong date. Remove it first.