Tip: Convert the date with AI – or otherwise

In our travel planning, the organizer indicated all the date information in the American format. Is there a function in pages to simply convert it to German format?

If you use an M1-MAC with MacOS 15.4 and pages 14.3 or newer, you can easily leave this to the writing tools (more alternative below).

To do this, click on the symbol of the writing tools in the toolbar. If the tool cannot be activated immediately, first place the cursor at any point in the text.

Then enter the command in the input field: “Change all American dates to German format” and confirm the input. Depending on the scope of the document, it can take a moment before Pages has converted all the date.

If your Mac does not meet the requirements mentioned, you can use text edit instead. Export your pages file via “Filing> Export”, for example, as a formatted text (RTF) so that it can be opened in Text Edit. Alternatively, create a new document in Text Edit and copy the text in question manually.

To find and replace American dates, open the search function via “Edit> Search> Search and replace” or with the key combination Option + Command + F. A small arrow appears next to the magnifying glass. If you click on it and select “Insert Pattern” (or directly via key combination Control + option + command + p), a list of special characters and space holders opens. Among other things, you can select “Numbers” there.

As soon as you do this, the sign # – a placeholder for any number that represents the month here appears in the search field. Then add a slash / one and select “Numbers” again to add the placeholder for the day. After another slash, choose “Numbers” for the year a third time. The placeholder appear in the search field as colored, numbered symbols – for example #1, #2 and #3 for month, day and year.

Now put the cursor in the replacement field and open the sample search again (again with Control + option + command + p). If you first select the second placeholder from the list (for the day), insert a point behind, then add the first placeholder (for the month), followed by another point and finally the third placeholder for the year. The format in the replacement field should then look like this:#2.#1.#3. For example, you automatically convert the American date 12/31/2025 in December 31, 2025.

Your prior entry will appear in the list of the last search entries. To correct the error, you can also move the placeholder to the right place using drag & drop and carry out the replacement again.