Cannot set a default Date and Time field format in Word for Mac

When you insert a date and a time into your document, and you try to set a default date and time format by clicking Default (on the Insert menu, click Date And Time), the format that you choose will revert to the first setting under Available Formats. You notice this problem when you close and then restart Microsoft Word for Mac.

To work around this problem, use an AutoText entry and assign the formatted date setting to a keystroke combination. To do this, follow these steps:

1. On the Insert menu, click Date And Time.
2. Under Available Formats, select the format that you want, click to select the Update Automatically check box, and then click OK.
3. Select the resulting field, point to AutoText on the Insert menu, and then click New.
4. Give the entry a name, and then click OK.
5. On the Tools menu, click Customize, and then click Shortcut.
6. Under Categories, select AutoText. Under AutoText, select the name that you called your date AutoText entry.
7. Put the insertion point in the Press New Shortcut Key input box, type in a keystroke combination, and then click Assign.
8. Click OK.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

To set a default date and time for only the current session of Word for Mac, follow these steps:

1. On the Insert menu, click Date and Time.
2. Under Available Formats, select a format.
3. Click Default, and then click OK.