--- title: "DAYS function in Excel: syntax and examples | PracticeExcel" description: "How to use DAYS in Excel and Google Sheets: count the days between two dates, days until a deadline, and why the order matters." canonical_url: "https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days" locale: en meta: "og:description": "How to use DAYS in Excel and Google Sheets: count the days between two dates, days until a deadline, and why the order matters." "og:image": "https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~REFZUyBmdW5jdGlvbiBpbiBFeGNlbDogc3ludGF4IGFuZCBleGFtcGxlcw%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBEQVlTIGluIEV4Y2VsIGFuZCBHb29nbGUgU2hlZXRzOiBjb3VudCB0aGUgZGF5cyBiZXR3ZWVuIHR3byBkYXRlcywgZGF5cyB1bnRpbCBhIGRlYWRsaW5lLCBhbmQgd2h5IHRoZSBvcmRlciBtYXR0ZXJzLg%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_~REFZUyhlbmRfZGF0ZSwgc3RhcnRfZGF0ZSk%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvZGF5cyI%2Cs_D_pJejvorHVA3vi4.png" "og:image:height": "600" "og:image:type": image/png "og:image:width": "1200" "og:title": "DAYS function in Excel: syntax and examples | PracticeExcel" "twitter:image": "https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~REFZUyBmdW5jdGlvbiBpbiBFeGNlbDogc3ludGF4IGFuZCBleGFtcGxlcw%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBEQVlTIGluIEV4Y2VsIGFuZCBHb29nbGUgU2hlZXRzOiBjb3VudCB0aGUgZGF5cyBiZXR3ZWVuIHR3byBkYXRlcywgZGF5cyB1bnRpbCBhIGRlYWRsaW5lLCBhbmQgd2h5IHRoZSBvcmRlciBtYXR0ZXJzLg%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_~REFZUyhlbmRfZGF0ZSwgc3RhcnRfZGF0ZSk%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvZGF5cyI%2Cs_D_pJejvorHVA3vi4.png" --- > Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://practiceexcelonline.com/llms.txt) # **The DAYS function** Returns the number of days between two dates. The end date comes first, and the result is the same as subtracting the start date from the end date. = DAYS( ## **Syntax** ``` DAYS(end_date, start_date) ```
**end_date **
The later date.
**start_date **
The earlier date.
## **Examples** B1`=DAYS(1DATE(2024,12,25),2DATE(2024,3,15))` | | A | B | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | | **285** | **In plain words:** Count the days from 2Mar 15, 2024 to 1Dec 25, 2024. B1=DAYS(DATE(2024,3,1),DATE(2024,2,1)) | | A | B | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | | **29** | B1=DAYS("2024-03-15","2024-01-01") | | A | B | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | | **74** | ## **Questions**
### Why does DAYS give a negative number? The dates are the wrong way around. DAYS wants the end date first, so =DAYS(end,start) is positive when the end date is later.
### Is DAYS different from subtracting the dates? =B2-A2 gives the same number when both cells hold dates. DAYS also reads dates written as text, such as "2024-03-15".
## **Related functions** - [**DATEDIF**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/datedif) - [**NETWORKDAYS**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/networkdays) - [**TODAY**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/today) - [**DATE**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/date) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity","@type":"Organization","name":"PracticeExcel","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/","logo":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#website","@type":"WebSite","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"PracticeExcel","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/","alternateName":["Practice Excel Online","PracticeExcelOnline.com"],"publisher":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"},"workTranslation":{"@id":"https://excelopgaver.dk/#website"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days#webpage","description":"How to use DAYS in Excel and Google Sheets: count the days between two dates, days until a deadline, and why the order matters.","name":"DAYS function in Excel: syntax and examples","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days","@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days#breadcrumb"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#website"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days#/schema/question/1"},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days#/schema/question/2"}],"potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days"]}],"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days#breadcrumb","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Home","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com","position":1},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Excel functions","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions","position":2},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"DAYS function in Excel: syntax and examples","position":3}]},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days#article","description":"How to use DAYS in Excel and Google Sheets: count the days between two dates, days until a deadline, and why the order matters.","headline":"DAYS function in Excel: syntax and examples","inLanguage":"en-US","thumbnailUrl":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~REFZUyBmdW5jdGlvbiBpbiBFeGNlbDogc3ludGF4IGFuZCBleGFtcGxlcw%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBEQVlTIGluIEV4Y2VsIGFuZCBHb29nbGUgU2hlZXRzOiBjb3VudCB0aGUgZGF5cyBiZXR3ZWVuIHR3byBkYXRlcywgZGF5cyB1bnRpbCBhIGRlYWRsaW5lLCBhbmQgd2h5IHRoZSBvcmRlciBtYXR0ZXJzLg%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_~REFZUyhlbmRfZGF0ZSwgc3RhcnRfZGF0ZSk%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvZGF5cyI%2Cs_D_pJejvorHVA3vi4.png","@type":["Article","TechArticle"],"author":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"},"image":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#/schema/image/1"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days#webpage"},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days#webpage"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/days#/schema/question/1","@type":"Question","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"Why does DAYS give a negative number?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The dates are the wrong way around. 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