---
schema_version: "1"
id: b158036a4abf5127bbb24e464817c092951cac743ae84ff791f82ffc9ea9c5cb
title: formatDate()
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
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canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/aura-platform/guide/ref-jsapi-auralocalizationservice-formatdate.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: cf9327b53c18aa6ab53fa18ccec1713f739ce7eff741c4298724a18d782ef81e
products:
  - Lightning Aura Components Developer Guide
  - Platform Developer Content
---

# formatDate()

Returns a formatted date.

## Signature

`formatDate (string | number | Date date, string formatString, string locale)`

## Parameters

**_date_**

Type: `string | number | Date`

A datetime string in ISO8601 format , or a timestamp in milliseconds, or a `Date` object. If you provide a String value, use ISO 8601 format to avoid parsing warnings. If no timezone is specified, defaults to the browser timezone offset.

**_formatString_**

Type: `string`

Optional. A string containing tokens to format the given date. For example, `"yyyy-MM-dd"` formats 15th January, 2017 as "2017-01-15". The default format string comes from the `$Locale` value provider. For details on available tokens, see [Formatting Dates in JavaScript](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/aura-platform/js-cb/js-cb-format-dates.md).

**_locale_**

Type: `string`

Optional. A locale to format the given date. The default value is `$Locale.langLocale`. We strongly recommended that you use the locale value from `$Locale`. We fall back to the value in `$Locale.langLocale` if you use an unavailable locale.

## Returns

**Type: `string`** A formatted and localized date string.

## Sample Code

```javascript
var date = new Date();
// Returns date in the format "Oct 9, 2015"
$A.localizationService.formatDate(date);
```