How can I get current date in Android?

Question

I wrote the following code

Date d = new Date();
CharSequence s  = DateFormat.format("MMMM d, yyyy ", d.getTime());

I want the current date in string format, like

28-Dec-2011

so that I can set it into a TextView.

While using the `DateFormat` class was OK when this question was asked in 2011, that class and its subclass `SimpleDateFormat` were always troublesome and are now long outdated. I recommend you don’t use them and instead look into [java.time, the modern Java date and time API](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/datetime/). — Ole V.V., Jul 13 '19 at 11:25

score 441 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 04 '20 at 16:59

441

You can use the SimpleDateFormat class for formatting date in your desired format.

Just check this link where you get an idea for your example.

For example:

String dateStr = "04/05/2010"; 
 
SimpleDateFormat curFormater = new SimpleDateFormat("dd/MM/yyyy"); 
Date dateObj = curFormater.parse(dateStr); 
SimpleDateFormat postFormater = new SimpleDateFormat("MMMM dd, yyyy"); 
 
String newDateStr = postFormater.format(dateObj);

Update:

The detailed example is here, I would suggest you go through this example and understand the concept of SimpleDateFormat class.

Final Solution:

Date c = Calendar.getInstance().getTime();
System.out.println("Current time => " + c);

SimpleDateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MMM-yyyy", Locale.getDefault());
String formattedDate = df.format(c);

edited Jul 04 '20 at 16:59

Pooja

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answered Dec 28 '11 at 11:02

Paresh Mayani

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you may want to use the System.currentTimeMillis() method or the Data class instead f the Calendar class. Should be quicker. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/368094/system-currenttimemillis-vs-new-date-vs-calendar-getinstance-gettime – cjayem13 Aug 31 '14 at 02:29
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This requires API 24! – ueen Jun 05 '19 at 13:21
1

FYI, the terribly troublesome date-time classes such as [`java.util.Date`](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/10/docs/api/java/util/Date.html), [`java.util.Calendar`](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/10/docs/api/java/util/Calendar.html), and `java.text.SimpleDateFormat` are now [legacy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legacy_system), supplanted by the [*java.time*](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/10/docs/api/java/time/package-summary.html) classes built into Java 8 and later. See [*Tutorial* by Oracle](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/datetime/TOC.html). – Basil Bourque Jul 14 '19 at 01:14
@ueen Please import from java package not from android. – Sadda Hussain Aug 24 '19 at 06:32
Works fines? Currently? (2020) – luke cross May 21 '20 at 19:52

Pratik Butani · Answer 2 · 2017-12-28T14:12:15.680

180

Its simple one line code for get current Date in this yyyy-MM-dd format you can use your format that you want :

String date = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd", Locale.getDefault()).format(new Date());

edited Dec 28 '17 at 14:12

answered Mar 29 '13 at 06:53

Pratik Butani

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You should change it to: String currentDate = new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MM-yyyy", Locale.getDefault()).format(new Date()); – Bart Burg Apr 10 '14 at 09:56
1

Wow, thank you! This worked, although I believe I may have found out why the date on my virtual device was showing one day before, probably because the date on the virtual machine wasn't right. When tested on an actual phone, it worked wonders. So thank you @Pratik – wesley franks Nov 01 '15 at 18:59

score 31 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 15 '17 at 16:22

31

This is nothing to do with android as it is java based so you could use

private String getDateTime() { 
   DateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss");
   Date date = new Date(); 
   return dateFormat.format(date); 
}

edited Feb 15 '17 at 16:22

Jacques Gaudin

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answered Dec 28 '11 at 11:04

Graham Smith

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There are errors, new Date() is asking for arguments, and you are initializing the DateFormat with SimpleDateFormat, also not valid – Chatar Veer Suthar Dec 28 '11 at 11:18

score 12 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 12 '15 at 03:00

12

 public String giveDate() {
    Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
    SimpleDateFormat sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("EEE, MMM d, yyyy");
    return sdf.format(cal.getTime());
 }

edited Jun 12 '15 at 03:00

Pratik Butani

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answered Dec 28 '11 at 11:23

Kamal

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score 11 · Answer 5 · edited Jun 04 '15 at 06:56

11

try this,

SimpleDateFormat timeStampFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyyMMddHHmmssSS");
Date myDate = new Date();
String filename = timeStampFormat.format(myDate);

edited Jun 04 '15 at 06:56

Deepzz

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answered Dec 28 '11 at 11:03

Lucifer

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it is saying add arguments to new Date(long) – Chatar Veer Suthar Dec 28 '11 at 11:09
in new Date() , it can not ask long parameter. – Lucifer Dec 28 '11 at 11:15
Why you using private keywork, run your code in android project, do you get the output? – Chatar Veer Suthar Dec 28 '11 at 11:46
please remove that "private" . yes I get the output, I am seeing your discussion. I dont know why you are getting problem for very simple quetion. – Lucifer Dec 28 '11 at 11:50

score 9 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 28 '11 at 11:02

9

CharSequence s  = DateFormat.getDateInstance().format("MMMM d, yyyy ");

You need an instance first

answered Dec 28 '11 at 11:02

Marthyn Olthof

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getDateInstance , not recognizing this – Chatar Veer Suthar Dec 28 '11 at 11:10
if you look at the java docs it should be, http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/text/DateFormat.html#getDateInstance(int, java.util.Locale) – Marthyn Olthof Dec 28 '11 at 11:16
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@Veer, if you accidentally imported android.text.format.DateFormat instead of java.text.DateFormat, getDateInstance() won't be recognized – gcbound Jul 11 '13 at 05:00

score 8 · Answer 7 · answered Sep 24 '15 at 02:33

8

Works like a charm and converts to String as a bonus ;)

SimpleDateFormat currentDate = new SimpleDateFormat("dd/MM/yyyy");
      Date todayDate = new Date();
    String thisDate = currentDate.format(todayDate);

answered Sep 24 '15 at 02:33

SoVinceble

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score 7 · Answer 8 · edited Oct 27 '16 at 07:57

7

 String date = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd").format(new Date());

// import Date class as java.util

edited Oct 27 '16 at 07:57

IntelliJ Amiya

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answered Feb 02 '16 at 15:28

arshad shaikh

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score 5 · Answer 9 · answered Feb 09 '18 at 06:31

5

A simple tweak to Paresh's solution:

Date date = Calendar.getInstance().getTime();
SimpleDateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MMM-yyyy");
String formattedDate = df.format(date);

answered Feb 09 '18 at 06:31

cNgamba

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score 5 · Answer 10 · answered Feb 23 '18 at 17:37

5

SimpleDateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MMM-yyyy");
String date = df.format(Calendar.getInstance().getTime());

answered Feb 23 '18 at 17:37

Zeeshan Ali

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score 5 · Answer 11 · edited Aug 25 '19 at 06:01

5

 public static String getcurrentDateAndTime(){

        Date c = Calendar.getInstance().getTime();
        SimpleDateFormat simpleDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy/MM/dd");
        String formattedDate = simpleDateFormat.format(c);
        return formattedDate;
    }

// String currentdate=  getcurrentDateAndTime();

edited Aug 25 '19 at 06:01

Md Tariqul Islam

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answered Jul 13 '19 at 09:36

indrajeet jyoti

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Is it contributing anything substantial towards the question (*I want current date in string format, like `28-Dec-2011`*) that isn’t already in the other answers? In any case it is still using the notoriously troublesome and long outdated `SimpleDateFormat` class. Please, we don’t need any more answers doing that. – Ole V.V. Jul 13 '19 at 11:22
it's working for best practice add the second parameter locale SimpleDateFormat simpleDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy/MM/dd", Locale.ENGLISH); – Rucha Bhatt Joshi Apr 22 '20 at 13:46

score 5 · Answer 12 · answered Jul 13 '19 at 15:17

I am providing the modern answer.

java.time and ThreeTenABP

To get the current date:

    LocalDate today = LocalDate.now(ZoneId.of("America/Hermosillo"));

This gives you a LocalDate object, which is what you should use for keeping a date in your program. A LocalDate is a date without time of day.

Only when you need to display the date to a user, format it into a string suitable for the user’s locale:

    DateTimeFormatter userFormatter
            = DateTimeFormatter.ofLocalizedDate(FormatStyle.LONG);
    System.out.println(today.format(userFormatter));

When I ran this snippet today in US English locale, output was:

July 13, 2019

If you want it shorter, specify FormatStyle.MEDIUM or even FormatStyle.SHORT. DateTimeFormatter.ofLocalizedDate uses the default formatting locale, so the point is that it will give output suitable for that locale, different for different locales.

If your user has very special requirements for the output format, use a format pattern string:

    DateTimeFormatter userFormatter = DateTimeFormatter.ofPattern(
            "d-MMM-u", Locale.forLanguageTag("ar-AE"));

13-يول-2019

I am using and recommending java.time, the modern Java date and time API. DateFormat, SimpleDateFormat, Date and Calendar used in the question and/or many of the other answers, are poorly designed and long outdated. And java.time is so much nicer to work with.

Question: Can I use java.time on Android?

Yes, java.time works nicely on older and newer Android devices. It just requires at least Java 6.

In Java 8 and later and on newer Android devices (from API level 26) the modern API comes built-in.
In Java 6 and 7 get the ThreeTen Backport, the backport of the modern classes (ThreeTen for JSR 310; see the links at the bottom).
On (older) Android use the Android edition of ThreeTen Backport. It’s called ThreeTenABP. And make sure you import the date and time classes from org.threeten.bp with subpackages.

Links

Oracle tutorial: Date Time explaining how to use java.time.
Java Specification Request (JSR) 310, where java.time was first described.
ThreeTen Backport project, the backport of java.time to Java 6 and 7 (ThreeTen for JSR-310).
ThreeTenABP, Android edition of ThreeTen Backport
Question: How to use ThreeTenABP in Android Project, with a very thorough explanation.

Very good answer! But how can I convert ThreeTen LocalDateTime to Date? I'm using Firebase, and a prerequisite for saving timestamp is Date object. — H.Karatsanov, Jul 03 '20 at 13:01
@H.Karatsanov If using the backport: `DateTimeUtils.toDate(yourLocalDateTime.atZone(ZoneId.systemDefault()).toInstant())`. If using the built-in java.time: `Date.from(yourLocalDateTime.atZone(ZoneId.systemDefault()).toInstant())`. See [Converting between java.time.LocalDateTime and java.util.Date](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19431234/converting-between-java-time-localdatetime-and-java-util-date). The authoritative answer by JodaStephen is there, and also [an answer showing the use of the backport](https://stackoverflow.com/a/52196587/5772882). — Ole V.V., Jul 04 '20 at 04:19

score 5 · Answer 13 · edited Feb 11 '21 at 06:16

5

This method can use for to get current date from the system.

public static String getCurrentDateAndTime(){
    Date c = Calendar.getInstance().getTime();
    SimpleDateFormat simpleDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy/MM/dd");
    String formattedDate = simpleDateFormat.format(c);
    return formattedDate;
}

edited Feb 11 '21 at 06:16

İsmail Y.

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answered Feb 10 '21 at 11:59

Kavindu Dissanayake

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score 4 · Answer 14 · answered Dec 28 '11 at 11:11

4

The below code displays the both time and date

Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
cal.getTime().toString();

answered Dec 28 '11 at 11:11

Rajeswari Kotikalapudi

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score 3 · Answer 15 · edited Jun 12 '15 at 02:56

3

Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();      
Calendar dt = Calendar.getInstance(); 
dt.clear();
dt.set(cal.get(Calendar.YEAR), cal.get(Calendar.MONTH),cal.get(Calendar.DATE)); 
return dt.getTime();

edited Jun 12 '15 at 02:56

Pratik Butani

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answered Sep 30 '13 at 12:09

Vinayak

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score 3 · Answer 16 · edited May 17 '19 at 06:53

3

Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance();
int day = c.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH);
int month = c.get(Calendar.MONTH);
int year = c.get(Calendar.YEAR);
String date = day + "/" + (month + 1) + "/" + year;

Log.i("TAG", "--->" + date);

edited May 17 '19 at 06:53

barbsan

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answered May 17 '19 at 06:21

rhaldar

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score 2 · Answer 17 · answered May 05 '17 at 09:37

2

You can use following code to get a date in the format you want.

String date = String.valueOf(android.text.format.DateFormat.format("dd-MM-yyyy", new java.util.Date()));

answered May 05 '17 at 09:37

Android Dev

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Nice one liner and works on lower Sdks. A few characters shorter DateFormat.format("dd-MM-yyyy", new java.util.Date()).toString() – Jeffrey Aug 17 '18 at 06:44

score 2 · Answer 18 · edited Sep 26 '18 at 11:24

2

Date c = Calendar.getInstance().getTime();
System.out.println("Current time => " + c);

SimpleDateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MMM-yyyy");
String formattedDate = df.format(c);

This one is the best answer...

edited Sep 26 '18 at 11:24

Yannis

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answered Sep 26 '18 at 10:16

Fatima

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score 2 · Answer 19 · answered May 11 '21 at 07:48

2

if you just want to get the date just put code like this

Calendar.getInstance().getTime();

answered May 11 '21 at 07:48

Vanya Rachel

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score 1 · Answer 20 · answered May 18 '20 at 12:27

1

just one line code to get simple Date format :

SimpleDateFormat.getDateInstance().format(Date())

output : 18-May-2020

SimpleDateFormat.getDateTimeInstance().format(Date())

output : 18-May-2020 11:00:39 AM

SimpleDateFormat.getTimeInstance().format(Date())

output : 11:00:39 AM

Hope this answer is enough to get this Date and Time Format ... :)

answered May 18 '20 at 12:27

vijay saini

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Please don’t teach the young ones to use the long outdated and notoriously troublesome `SimpleDateFormat` and `DateFormat` classes. At least not as the first option. And not without any reservation. Today we have so much better in [`java.time`, the modern Java date and time API,](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/datetime/) and its `DateTimeFormatter`. Yes, you can use it on Android. For older Android see [How to use ThreeTenABP in Android Project](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/38922754/how-to-use-threetenabp-in-android-project). – Ole V.V. May 19 '20 at 03:50
1

@OleV.V. Can you explain whats so terrible about this method? I am new to android and java and it does exactly what I need it to, so what is so troublesome about it? – d0rf47 Oct 22 '20 at 19:34
@d0rf47 From Oracle: [Why do we need a new date and time library?](https://www.oracle.com/technical-resources/articles/java/jf14-date-time.html) Also [Still using java.util.Date? Don’t!](https://programminghints.com/2017/05/still-using-java-util-date-dont/) – Ole V.V. Oct 22 '20 at 20:42

score 1 · Answer 21 · answered Nov 25 '21 at 06:46

1

Tried with this approch it worked for me.

val df = SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss.SSSZ", Locale.getDefault()) // pass the format pattern that you like and done.
println(df.format(Date()))

answered Nov 25 '21 at 06:46

Ratnesh Navlakhe

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score 1 · Answer 22 · answered Jan 05 '22 at 17:01

In Kotlin you can use this code : - 

Simple only need to change date format to this "dd-MM-yyyy" 
val d = Date()
val str: CharSequence = DateFormat.format("dd-MM-yyyy", d.getTime())
Log.e("", str.toString())
    
In Java You use this code: - 
    
Date date = new Date();
CharSequence str  = DateFormat.format("dd-MM-yyyy", date.getTime());
Log.e("Date", str.toString())

score 1 · Answer 23 · answered Feb 02 '23 at 06:46

LocalDateTime ldt2 = LocalDateTime.now();
String year = ldt2.getYear()+"";
String month = ldt2.getMonthValue()+"";
String date = ldt2.getDayOfMonth()+"";
String hour = ldt2.getHour()+"";
String minute = ldt2.getMinute()+"";
String secs = ldt2.getSecond()+"";

score 0 · Answer 24 · edited Jun 12 '15 at 03:00

The simplest way to get the current date in current locale (device locale!) :

String currentDate = DateFormat.getDateInstance().format(Calendar.getInstance().getTime());

If you want to have the date in different styles use getDateInstance(int style):

DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.FULL).format(Calendar.getInstance().getTime());

Other styles: DateFormat.LONG, DateFormat.DATE_FIELD, DateFormat.DAY_OF_YEAR_FIELD, etc. (use CTRL+Space to see all of them)

If you need the time too:

String currentDateTime = DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance(DateFormat.DEFAULT,DateFormat.LONG).format(Calendar.getInstance().getTime());

score 0 · Answer 25 · answered Oct 19 '16 at 10:23

0

  public static String getDateTime() {
        SimpleDateFormat simpleDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("MMMM dd, yyyy HH:mm:ss", Locale.getDefault());
        Date date = new Date();
        return simpleDateFormat.format(date);
    }

answered Oct 19 '16 at 10:23

Divyesh Patel

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score 0 · Answer 26 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:18

0

try with this link of code this is absolute correct answer for all cases all over date and time. or customize date and time as per need and requirement of app.

try with this link .try with this link

edited May 23 '17 at 12:18

Community

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answered Dec 07 '16 at 18:38

Amitsharma

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score 0 · Answer 27 · answered Jan 11 '17 at 14:28

I wrote calendar app using CalendarView and it's my code:

CalendarView cal = (CalendarView) findViewById(R.id.calendar);
cal.setDate(new Date().getTime());

'calendar' field is my CalendarView. Imports:

import android.widget.CalendarView;
import java.util.Date;

I've got current date without errors.

score 0 · Answer 28 · answered Jun 06 '17 at 11:17

This is the code i used:

             Date date = new Date();  // to get the date
             SimpleDateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MM-yyyy"); // getting date in this format
             String formattedDate = df.format(date.getTime());
             text.setText(formattedDate);

score 0 · Answer 29 · answered Jun 19 '18 at 18:29

I've already used this:

Date What_Is_Today=Calendar.getInstance().getTime();
SimpleDateFormat Dateformat = new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MM-yyyy");
String Today=Dateformatf.format(What_Is_Today);

Toast.makeText(this,Today,Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

at first I get time, then I declared a Simple Date Format (to get date like: 19-6-2018) then I use format to change date to string.

score 0 · Answer 30 · answered Nov 04 '20 at 11:02

In Kotlin

https://www.programiz.com/kotlin-programming/examples/current-date-time

fun main(args: Array<String>) {

val current = LocalDateTime.now()

val formatter = DateTimeFormatter.ofPattern("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.SSS")
val formatted = current.format(formatter)

println("Current Date and Time is: $formatted")}

score -1 · Answer 31 · edited Jan 21 '16 at 20:04

This is the code I used:

final Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance();
year = c.get(Calendar.YEAR);
month = c.get(Calendar.MONTH);
day = c.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH);

// Set current date into textview
tvDisplayDate.setText(new StringBuilder()
    .append(month + 1).append("-") // Month is 0 based, add 1
    .append(day).append("-")
    .append(year).append("   Today is :" + thursday ) );

// Set current date into datepicker
dpResult.init(year, month, day, null);

How can I get current date in Android?

31 Answers31

Update:

Final Solution:

java.time and ThreeTenABP

Question: Can I use java.time on Android?

Links

Linked

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