NOW

The NOW function in Google Sheets returns the current date and time as a live date value, automatically updating whenever the spreadsheet recalculates. It's a go-to function for timestamping data or building formulas that depend on the current moment. Dive into our comprehensive guide to master its application.

Parameters

This function takes no parameters.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

1. Using NOW to get the current date and time:

   • Example: =NOW()
   • Result: will return the current date and time, such as 7/16/2026 14:32:00.

2. Using NOW in a calculation:

   • Example: =NOW()-A1 will return the number of days (and fraction of a day) that have elapsed since the date/time in A1.

Use Cases and Scenarios

1. Timestamping Entries: Automatically record when a row of data was last updated.
2. Countdown Timers: Calculate the time remaining until a deadline by comparing it to NOW().
3. Elapsed Time Tracking: Measure how much time has passed since a specific event.

Related Functions

• TODAY: Returns the current date as a date value, without the time component.
• DATE: Converts a year, month, and day into a date value.
• TIME: Converts hour, minute, and second into a time value.

Related Articles

• Working with Dates in Google Sheets