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Microsoft Date and Time Picker Control - How To Enable and Use It

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Published onSeptember 4, 2024

published onSeptember 4, 2024

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Microsoft Date and Time Picker Control helps you enter multiple date and time entries in Microsoft 365 desktop apps, like Excel, Word, and more.

For example, you might need to regularly update dates and times for employee attendance, meeting schedules, project timings, etc. Date and Time Picker Control steps in to make tasks like this more convenient.

However, enabling this feature is a challenging task because these Microsoft apps don’t activate the service by default. Luckily, I’ll show you how to use it and enable it.

Also, if your Microsoft app isn’t compatible with it, you’ll learn which alternatives you should try. Let’s get started!

What Is the Microsoft Date and Time Picker Control?

Microsoft Date and Time Picker Control is anActiveX Control service for compatible Microsoft 365 apps,like Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc. It allows you totype in the date and timein a convenient way. You don’t have to worry about the date and time format of your entries.

You can just visually select your data for theMM-DD-YYYY formator theDD-MM-YYYY format.

TheMSCOMCTL.OCX fileand Visual Basic 6.0 ensure that this feature works smoothly.

System Requirements for Microsoft Date and Time Picker Control

At the time of writing, this ActiveX Control element is only available inMicrosoft 365and Microsoft Office desktop apps for32-bit architecture.

Also, youmight need to register the MSCOMCT2.OCX filein your Excel or Word software. You’ll have to do this if the feature isn’t readily available in the More Controls menu of the ActiveX Control command.

You might be able to register the above-mentioned OCX file if you own the Microsoft 365 64-bit app. However,the service won’t workwhen you call it. Instead, you’ll get an error message.

So, if you’re a 64-bit Microsoft Excel or Word user, you’ll need totry the alternativesmentioned later in this article.

Registering the MSCOMCT2.OCX Service

To activate the binary file, follow these steps on your Windows PC. You should be logged in using an administrator account to execute a few commands.

Or

How To Get Microsoft Date and Time Picker Control

Now that you’ve activated the MSCOMCT2.OCX file, you’re all set to enable the Date and Time Picker Control. Follow along with the steps in Excel as outlined below:

Alternatives for Microsoft Date and Time Picker Control

If you can’t enable the built-in feature yet want to use similar automation in Microsoft 365 apps, you can try these alternatives:

Use a Third-Party Add-In

You can install theMini Calendar and Date Picker from the Office Add-ins Store. It’s free and works exactly as the Date and Time Picker ActiveX Control tool does. Here’s how:

Here are the customizations available in this date and time add-in:

TheMicrosoft Date and Time Picker Control 6.0 (SP6)feature is totally absent in the Excel online or web app. So, you can click on theAdd-inscommand on theHometab and search forMini Calendar.

Summary

You can now easily activate Microsoft Date and Time Picker Control in Excel or Word. Ensure that theMicrosoft Officeapp is a 32-bit program before trying these steps.

If it’s a 64-bit app or you don’t want to downgrade to a 32-bit program, try the alternative method to automate the data entry for date and time values.

Did the article help you? Comment below to let us know. If you want to share a better method, feel free to add that in your comment.

More about the topics:microsoft,Microsoft 365

Vlad Turiceanu

Windows Editor

Passionate about technology,Windows, and everything that has a power button, he spent most of his time developing new skills and learning more about the tech world.

Coming from a solid background in PC building and software development, with a complete expertise in touch-based devices, he is constantly keeping an eye out for the latest and greatest!

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Vlad Turiceanu

Windows Editor

Coming from a solid background in PC building and software development, he’s a Windows 11 Privacy & Security expert.