Date Difference Calculator (DATEDIF)

Pick a start and end date to see the difference in years, months, and days — and copy the exact DATEDIF formula to reproduce it in Excel or Google Sheets. DATEDIF is the go-to function for ages, tenures, and durations.

The calculation runs in your browser.

Start date

End date

Full difference

6y 4m 12d

Total months

Total days

2,325

DATEDIF formula (full breakdown)

=DATEDIF("2020-03-15", "2026-07-27", "Y") & " years, " & DATEDIF("2020-03-15", "2026-07-27", "YM") & " months, " & DATEDIF("2020-03-15", "2026-07-27", "MD") & " days"

DATEDIF units explained

=DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, unit). The unit is a text code: "Y" whole years, "M" whole months, "D" total days.

"YM" gives the leftover months after whole years, "MD" the leftover days after whole months, and "YD" the days ignoring years. Combine "Y", "YM", and "MD" to display a full 'X years, Y months, Z days' age.

Why DATEDIF isn't in the function list

DATEDIF is a legacy function kept for compatibility, so Excel doesn't show it in autocomplete — but it still works if you type it. It also exists in Google Sheets with the same syntax.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate age in Excel?

Use =DATEDIF(birthdate, TODAY(), "Y") for whole years. For a precise age, combine units: =DATEDIF(birthdate, TODAY(), "Y") & " years, " & DATEDIF(birthdate, TODAY(), "YM") & " months".