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Dates function

Excel WEEKDAY function

WEEKDAY returns a number for the day of the week a date falls on. By default Sunday is 1 and Saturday is 7. Use it to spot weekend shifts, plan deliveries, or color weekends in a schedule.

fx=WEEKDAY(date, [return_type])

Arguments

date
The date to check.
return_type
Optional. 1 (default) counts Sunday as 1. 2 counts Monday as 1 and Sunday as 7. 3 counts Monday as 0.

WEEKDAY examples

Every result below was calculated live from this sample sheet.

ABC
1Shift dateStaffHours
22026-03-13Jordan8
32026-03-14Riley6
42026-03-15Jordan5
52026-03-16Casey8
  1. fx=WEEKDAY(A4)

    Result: 1

    March 15, 2026 is a Sunday, so the default numbering gives 1.

  2. fx=WEEKDAY(A4,2)

    Result: 7

    With return_type 2, Monday is 1, so Sunday becomes 7.

  3. fx=IF(WEEKDAY(A3,2)>5,"Weekend","Weekday")

    Result: Weekend

    Anything above 5 in Monday-first numbering is Saturday or Sunday.

  4. fx=TEXT(A5,"dddd")&" is day "&WEEKDAY(A5,2)

    Result: Monday is day 1

    Shows the day name next to its Monday-first number.

How to use WEEKDAY

  1. Click the cell for the result.
  2. Type =WEEKDAY( and click the date.
  3. Add ,2 if you want Monday to be day 1.
  4. Press Enter, then compare the number in IF or conditional formatting.

Common WEEKDAY mistakes

Forgetting the default starts on Sunday

Without return_type, Monday is 2. Add 2 as the second argument so Monday is 1 and weekends are 6 and 7.

Expecting a day name

WEEKDAY returns a number. Use TEXT(A2,"dddd") to show "Monday".

Checking weekends with =WEEKDAY(A2)>5

In default numbering that catches Friday and Saturday. Use WEEKDAY(A2,2)>5 instead.

WEEKDAY FAQ

How do I check if a date is a weekend in Excel?

Use =WEEKDAY(A2,2)>5. With return_type 2, Saturday is 6 and Sunday is 7, so the test is TRUE only on weekends.

How do I get the day of the week from a date in Excel?

Use =TEXT(A2,"dddd") for the name, or =WEEKDAY(A2) for a number where Sunday is 1.

Why does WEEKDAY return 1 for Sunday?

That is the default, US-style numbering. Add 2 as the second argument to make Monday 1.

Practice WEEKDAY in these lessons

Related functions

Updated 2026-10-31