How to disable automatic date replacement?

[Patrycjusz Konkol]

Hello,

I've got an issue when entering dates in Confluence.

When I'm typing 2026-01-11 in a table cell, after the last 1, there is a suggestion to change to a different format: 12 Jan 2026. Then, I'm pressing tab to go to the next cell and it is changed to the 12 Jan 2026 format. But I don't want this. How to stop this behaviour? It completely mess the flow of filling in the table dates.

Thanks.

[Brant Schroeder · Accepted solution]

@Patrycjusz Konkol Confluence has a date picker functionality that tries to convert dates to using the macro.  There was a feature request that was not moved forward addressing this here: https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/CONFCLOUD-59816 

The only option you have is to hit esc to prevent it from changing your date to the date picker.

[Patrycjusz Konkol]

Strange. It seems that this issue is there since 2018. But I've noticed this, and probably many others, just a month ago? So, maybe it was disabled and now, with some old, forgotten commit, this dead body is popping up from the closet? Strange. Or, I've used to this annoying feature, but finally I said: enough :D who knows. We cannot trust our mind.

[Anna Mitina _Stiltsoft_]

Hi @Patrycjusz Konkol 

I totally get the frustration. While the date picker feature is still in the backlog, and if you get tired of using the proposed workaround, I have a suggestion.

We have an app that extends table functionality; it's called Table Filter, Charts & Spreadsheets for Confluence. It would allow you to set the exact date format you need. It would be possible in one of the two ways:

• either through a simple SQL query (which we would help you with if needed)
• or through converting the table into a spreadsheet right inside Confluence

I'd suggest checking whether you already have it on your instance, as many users confuse it with native Confluence features. Simply type /table anywhere on the Confluence page, and if you see something like this ⬇️, then those are our macros.

Let me know if you have Table Filter, Charts & Spreadsheets for Confluence on your instance and would like further guidance to solve your case 😊

[Vitali Charin]

Hi @Patrycjusz Konkol

There is unfortunately no global or personal setting to disable this behavior yet, but you could press the "right arrow" key on your keyboard instead of the "tab" key. 

The result will be that you will jump to the next column without changing the format.

Best regards,

Vitali

[Patrycjusz Konkol]

Yes, I'm doing this already but it's counter-intuitive in case of tables :)

[Michael Kallies]

I've been putting a space after the date, it's very annoying.

[Patrycjusz Konkol]

Thanks for the confirmation. I feel better already, that it's not only me :D