Autofill Date Feature in Excel

The Autofill feature in Excel is a powerful tool that helps users automatically fill cells with data that follows a pattern or is based on existing data. When working specifically with dates, Autofill can save time by quickly generating series of dates in various formats and intervals.

🔧 How Autofill for Dates Works

When you enter a date in a cell and drag the fill handle (a small square at the bottom-right corner of the selected cell), Excel detects the pattern and fills the cells accordingly.

📅 Common Examples of Autofill with Dates

1. Daily Increment

• Start Date: 01-Jan-2025
• Drag Down → Excel fills:
  • 02-Jan-2025
  • 03-Jan-2025
  • 04-Jan-2025
  • …

2. Weekday Increment (Excludes Weekends)

• Type two dates manually: 03-Jan-2025 (Friday), 06-Jan-2025 (Monday)
• Select both, then drag down.
• Excel fills:
  • 07-Jan-2025 (Tuesday)
  • 08-Jan-2025 (Wednesday)
  • (skipping weekends)

3. Weekly Increment

• Type two dates a week apart: 01-Jan-2025, 08-Jan-2025
• Select both, drag down:
  • 15-Jan-2025
  • 22-Jan-2025
  • 29-Jan-2025
  • …

4. Monthly Increment

• Type two dates a month apart: 01-Jan-2025, 01-Feb-2025
• Select both, drag down:
  • 01-Mar-2025
  • 01-Apr-2025
  • …

5. Yearly Increment

• Type two dates a year apart: 01-Jan-2025, 01-Jan-2026
• Select both, drag:
  • 01-Jan-2027
  • 01-Jan-2028
  • …

6. Custom Interval (e.g., Every 2 Days)

• Type two dates: 01-Jan-2025, 03-Jan-2025
• Select both, drag:
  • 05-Jan-2025
  • 07-Jan-2025
  • …

7. Using Fill Series (Advanced Control)

• Go to Home > Fill > Series
• Choose options:
  • Series in: Columns or Rows
  • Type: Date
  • Date unit: Day, Weekday, Month, Year
  • Step Value: (e.g., 2 for every 2 days)
  • Stop Value: (optional)

8. Autofill Day Names

• Type: Monday
• Drag:
  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday
  • …
• Wraps around after Sunday

9. Autofill Month Names

• Type: January
• Drag:
  • February
  • March
  • …
  • December → loops back to January

10. Custom Date Formats

• If you format a date as "ddd, dd-mmm-yyyy" and autofill, Excel still understands it’s a date and continues the correct series, maintaining the format:
  • Wed, 01-Jan-2025
  • Thu, 02-Jan-2025
  • Fri, 03-Jan-2025
  • …

⚠️ Notes and Tips

• You must type a valid Excel date (not just text).
• To copy the same date without incrementing, hold Ctrl while dragging.
• Autofill works horizontally and vertically.
• Autofill can also be customized using the “Custom Lists” feature for non-standard sequences.

Watch Video for Autofill Date