[ios] Date Format in Swift

How will I convert this datetime from the date?

From this: 2016-02-29 12:24:26
to: Feb 29, 2016

So far, this is my code and it returns a nil value:

let dateFormatter = NSDateFormatter()
dateFormatter.dateFormat = "MM-dd-yyyy"
dateFormatter.timeZone = NSTimeZone(name: "UTC")
let date: NSDate? = dateFormatter.dateFromString("2016-02-29 12:24:26")
print(date)

For Swift 4.2, 5

Pass date and format as whatever way you want. To choose format you can visit, NSDATEFORMATTER website:

static func dateFormatter(date: Date,dateFormat:String) -> String {
    let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
    dateFormatter.dateFormat = dateFormat
    return dateFormatter.string(from: date)
}

Swift 3 with a Date extension

extension Date {
    func string(with format: String) -> String {
        let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
        dateFormatter.dateFormat = format
        return dateFormatter.string(from: self)
    }
}

Then you can use it like so:

let date = Date()
date.string(with: "MMM dd, yyyy")

Place it in extension and call it like below. It's easy to use throughout the application.

self.getFormattedDate(strDate: "20-March-2019", currentFomat: "dd-MMM-yyyy", expectedFromat: "yyyy-MM-dd")

Implementation

func getFormattedDate(strDate: String , currentFomat:String, expectedFromat: String) -> String{
    let dateFormatterGet = DateFormatter()
    dateFormatterGet.dateFormat = currentFomat

    let date : Date = dateFormatterGet.date(from: strDate) ?? Date()

    dateFormatterGet.dateFormat = expectedFromat
    return dateFormatterGet.string(from: date)
}

just use below function to convert date format:-

  let convertedFormat =  convertToString(dateString: "2019-02-12 11:23:12", formatIn: "yyyy-MM-dd hh:mm:ss", formatOut: "MMM dd, yyyy")    //calling function

   print(convertedFormat) // feb 12 2019


 func convertToString (dateString: String, formatIn : String, formatOut : String) -> String {

    let dateFormater = DateFormatter()
    dateFormater.timeZone = NSTimeZone(abbreviation: "UTC") as TimeZone!
    dateFormater.dateFormat = formatIn
    let date = dateFormater.date(from: dateString)

    dateFormater.timeZone = NSTimeZone.system

    dateFormater.dateFormat = formatOut
    let timeStr = dateFormater.string(from: date!)
    return timeStr
 }

I recommend to add timezone by default. I will show an example for swift 5
1. new an extension file Date+Formatter.swift

import Foundation

extension Date {
    func getFormattedDateString(format: String) -> String {
        let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
        dateFormatter.dateFormat = format
        dateFormatter.timeZone = TimeZone.current
        return dateFormatter.string(from: self)
    }
}

2. Usage example

    let date = Date()
    let dateString = date.getFormattedDateString(format: "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss")
    print("dateString > \(dateString)")
    // print
    // dateString > 2020-04-30 15:15:21

This may be useful for who want to use dateformater.dateformat;

if you want 12.09.18 you use dateformater.dateformat = "dd.MM.yy"

Wednesday, Sep 12, 2018           --> EEEE, MMM d, yyyy
09/12/2018                        --> MM/dd/yyyy
09-12-2018 14:11                  --> MM-dd-yyyy HH:mm
Sep 12, 2:11 PM                   --> MMM d, h:mm a
September 2018                    --> MMMM yyyy
Sep 12, 2018                      --> MMM d, yyyy
Wed, 12 Sep 2018 14:11:54 +0000   --> E, d MMM yyyy HH:mm:ss Z
2018-09-12T14:11:54+0000          --> yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssZ
12.09.18                          --> dd.MM.yy
10:41:02.112                      --> HH:mm:ss.SSS

I solved my problem to the format yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss.SSS'Z'(e.g 2018-06-15T00:00:00.000Z) with this:

func formatDate(date: String) -> String {
   let dateFormatterGet = DateFormatter()
   dateFormatterGet.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss.SSS'Z'"

   let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
   dateFormatter.dateStyle = .medium
   dateFormatter.timeStyle = .none
   //    dateFormatter.locale = Locale(identifier: "en_US") //uncomment if you don't want to get the system default format.

   let dateObj: Date? = dateFormatterGet.date(from: date)

   return dateFormatter.string(from: dateObj!)
}

To convert 2016-02-29 12:24:26 into a date, use this date formatter:

let dateFormatter = NSDateFormatter()
dateFormatter.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd hh:mm:ss"

Edit: To get the output Feb 29, 2016 use this date formatter:

let dateFormatter = NSDateFormatter()
dateFormatter.dateFormat = "MMM dd, yyyy"

Swift - 5.0

let date = Date()
let formate = date.getFormattedDate(format: "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss") // Set output formate

extension Date {
   func getFormattedDate(format: String) -> String {
        let dateformat = DateFormatter()
        dateformat.dateFormat = format
        return dateformat.string(from: self)
    }
}

Swift - 4.0

2018-02-01T19:10:04+00:00 Convert Feb 01,2018

extension Date {
    static func getFormattedDate(string: String , formatter:String) -> String{
        let dateFormatterGet = DateFormatter()
        dateFormatterGet.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssZ"

        let dateFormatterPrint = DateFormatter()
        dateFormatterPrint.dateFormat = "MMM dd,yyyy"

        let date: Date? = dateFormatterGet.date(from: "2018-02-01T19:10:04+00:00")
        print("Date",dateFormatterPrint.string(from: date!)) // Feb 01,2018
        return dateFormatterPrint.string(from: date!);
    }
}

Swift 3 version with the new Date object instead NSDate:

let dateFormatterGet = DateFormatter()
dateFormatterGet.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"

let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
dateFormatter.dateFormat = "MMM dd,yyyy"

let date: Date? = dateFormatterGet.date(from: "2017-02-14 17:24:26")
print(dateFormatter.string(from: date!))

EDIT: after mitul-nakum suggestion

Another interessant possibility of format date. This screenshot belongs to Apple's App "News".

Here is the code:

let dateFormat1 = DateFormatter()
dateFormat1.dateFormat = "EEEE"
let stringDay = dateFormat1.string(from: Date())

let dateFormat2 = DateFormatter()
dateFormat2.dateFormat = "MMMM"
let stringMonth = dateFormat2.string(from: Date())

let dateFormat3 = DateFormatter()
dateFormat3.dateFormat = "dd"
let numDay = dateFormat3.string(from: Date())

let stringDate = String(format: "%@\n%@ %@", stringDay.uppercased(), stringMonth.uppercased(), numDay)

Nothing to add to alternative proposed by lorenzoliveto. It's just perfect.

let dateFormat = DateFormatter()
dateFormat.dateFormat = "EEEE\nMMMM dd"
let stringDate = dateFormat.string(from: Date()).uppercased()

If you want to parse date from "1996-12-19T16:39:57-08:00", use the following format "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssZZZZZ":

let RFC3339DateFormatter = DateFormatter()
RFC3339DateFormatter.locale = Locale(identifier: "en_US_POSIX")
RFC3339DateFormatter.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssZZZZZ"
RFC3339DateFormatter.timeZone = TimeZone(secondsFromGMT: 0)

/* 39 minutes and 57 seconds after the 16th hour of December 19th, 1996 with an offset of -08:00 from UTC (Pacific Standard Time) */
let string = "1996-12-19T16:39:57-08:00"
let date = RFC3339DateFormatter.date(from: string)

from Apple https://developer.apple.com/documentation/foundation/dateformatter

swift 3

func dataFormat(dataJ: Double) -> String {

        let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
        dateFormatter.dateStyle = .long
        dateFormatter.timeStyle = .none
        let date = Date(timeIntervalSince1970: dataJ)
        return (dataJ != nil) ? "Today, \(dateFormatter.string(from: date))" : "Date Invalid"

    }

    import UIKit
    // Example iso date time
    let isoDateArray = [
        "2020-03-18T07:32:39.88Z",
        "2020-03-18T07:32:39Z",
        "2020-03-18T07:32:39.8Z",
        "2020-03-18T07:32:39.88Z",
        "2020-03-18T07:32:39.8834Z"
    ]


    let dateFormatterGetWithMs = DateFormatter()
    let dateFormatterGetNoMs = DateFormatter()

// Formater with and without millisecond 
    dateFormatterGetWithMs.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss.SSS'Z'"
    dateFormatterGetNoMs.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss'Z'"

    let dateFormatterPrint = DateFormatter()
    dateFormatterPrint.dateFormat = "MMM dd,yyyy"

    for dateString in isoDateArray {
        var date: Date? = dateFormatterGetWithMs.date(from: dateString)
        if (date == nil){
            date = dateFormatterGetNoMs.date(from: dateString)
        }
        print("===========>",date!)
    }

Swift 4, 4.2 and 5

func getFormattedDate(date: Date, format: String) -> String {
        let dateformat = DateFormatter()
        dateformat.dateFormat = format
        return dateformat.string(from: date)
}

let formatingDate = getFormattedDate(date: Date(), format: "dd-MMM-yyyy")
        print(formatingDate)

swift 3

let date : Date = Date()
let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
dateFormatter.dateFormat = "MMM dd, yyyy"
let todaysDate = dateFormatter.string(from: date)

Swift 3 and higher

let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
dateFormatter.dateStyle = .medium
dateFormatter.timeStyle = .none
dateFormatter.locale = Locale.current
print(dateFormatter.string(from: date)) // Jan 2, 2001

This is also helpful when you want to localize your App. The Locale(identifier: ) uses the ISO 639-1 Code. See also the Apple Documentation

Convert @BatyrCan answer to Swift 5.3 with extra formats. Tested in Xcode 12.

let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
dateFormatter.dateFormat = "HH:mm:ss"
var dateFromStr = dateFormatter.date(from: "12:16:45")!

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "hh:mm:ss a 'on' MMMM dd, yyyy"
//Output: 12:16:45 PM on January 01, 2000

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "E, d MMM yyyy HH:mm:ss Z"
//Output: Sat, 1 Jan 2000 12:16:45 +0600

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssZ"
//Output: 2000-01-01T12:16:45+0600

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "EEEE, MMM d, yyyy"
//Output: Saturday, Jan 1, 2000

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "MM-dd-yyyy HH:mm"
//Output: 01-01-2000 12:16

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "MMM d, h:mm a"
//Output: Jan 1, 12:16 PM

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "HH:mm:ss.SSS"
//Output: 12:16:45.000

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "MMM d, yyyy"
//Output: Jan 1, 2000

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "MM/dd/yyyy"
//Output: 01/01/2000

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "hh:mm:ss a"
//Output: 12:16:45 PM

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "MMMM yyyy"
//Output: January 2000

dateFormatter.dateFormat = "dd.MM.yy"
//Output: 01.01.00

//Customisable AP/PM symbols
dateFormatter.amSymbol = "am"
dateFormatter.pmSymbol = "Pm"
dateFormatter.dateFormat = "a"
//Output: Pm

// Usage
var timeFromDate = dateFormatter.string(from: dateFromStr)
print(timeFromDate)