Syntax
=NOW()
(none)- NOW has no arguments. Type the empty brackets anyway.
NOW function in Google Sheets
NOW returns the current date and time. The whole-number part is the date and the fraction is the time of day, so NOW()-A2 is how long ago A2 was, in days. It updates whenever the sheet recalculates, which you can set to every minute or every hour in File › Settings.
Practice NOW
Task 1 of 1
Support tickets should be answered within 2 days. Return TRUE if the first ticket has been open for more than 2 days (use the current date and time). Answer in C2.
Tip: while typing a formula, click a cell or drag across cells to insert references. Press Enter to check, and Tab to accept a function suggestion.
NOW examples
Each example below runs against this sample sheet. The results are calculated by the same engine as the practice grid.
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Task | Start | Due | Holidays |
| 2 | Kickoff | 1/5/2026 | 1/9/2026 | 1/19/2026 |
| 3 | Design | 1/12/2026 | 2/13/2026 | 2/16/2026 |
| 4 | Build | 2/16/2026 | 4/30/2026 | 5/25/2026 |
| 5 | Launch | 5/4/2026 | 5/29/2026 |
| Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
=NOW() | The current date and time | The current date and time. |
=(NOW()-B2)*24 | Depends on the current time | Hours since the Kickoff started. |
=NOW()-B2>2 | Depends on the current time | TRUE once more than two days have passed. |
=NOW()-TODAY() | Depends on the current time | Just the time of day, as a fraction of a day. |
=TEXT(NOW(), "h:mm AM/PM") | Depends on the current time | The current time as readable text. |
Tips and common mistakes
- For a time stamp that doesn't change, press Ctrl+Shift+; (⌘+Shift+; on a Mac) to type the current time as a value.
- Use TODAY, not NOW, when comparing against dates without times. A due date of today counts as earlier than NOW after midnight.
- Multiply a difference by 24 for hours or 1440 for minutes, because date maths is measured in days.
Related functions
Learning step by step? NOW is covered in Lesson 40: TODAY, NOW & DATEDIF of the free course.