JavaScript toLocaleString(): Localized Date and Time

Date.prototype.toLocaleString() returns a locale-aware date-and-time string. By default it uses the environment’s locale and local time zone; you can supply a locale, a named time zone, and detailed formatting options.

Syntax:

date.toLocaleString();
date.toLocaleString(locales, options);

Example:

const date = new Date("2026-09-10T12:30:00Z");
console.log(date.toLocaleString("en-IN", { timeZone: "Asia/Kolkata" }));

Default toLocaleString() Output Top ↑

With no arguments, the output is based on the runtime’s default locale and time zone, so punctuation, field order and hour cycle can differ between users.

const now = new Date();
console.log(now.toLocaleString());

Choosing a Locale Top ↑

const date = new Date("2026-09-10T12:30:00Z");
console.log(date.toLocaleString("en-IN"));
console.log(date.toLocaleString("en-US"));
console.log(date.toLocaleString("fr-FR"));

Selecting Date and Time Components Top ↑

const options = {
  weekday: "short",
  year: "numeric",
  month: "short",
  day: "2-digit",
  hour: "2-digit",
  minute: "2-digit"
};
console.log(new Date().toLocaleString("en-IN", options));

Using dateStyle and timeStyle Top ↑

For common user-facing formats, dateStyle and timeStyle are more concise than listing every component.

const date = new Date();
console.log(date.toLocaleString("en-IN", {
  dateStyle: "long",
  timeStyle: "short"
}));

Displaying a Named Time Zone Top ↑

const instant = new Date("2026-09-10T12:30:00Z");
console.log(instant.toLocaleString("en-IN", {
  timeZone: "Asia/Kolkata",
  dateStyle: "medium",
  timeStyle: "long"
}));

Using a named zone is safer than manually adding fixed offsets when daylight-saving or historical offset rules may apply.

Choosing 12-Hour or 24-Hour Time Top ↑

const date = new Date();
console.log(date.toLocaleString("en-IN", { hour: "2-digit", minute: "2-digit", hour12: false }));

Reusing Intl.DateTimeFormat Top ↑

When formatting many values with identical settings, reuse one formatter.

const formatter = new Intl.DateTimeFormat("en-IN", { dateStyle: "medium", timeStyle: "short" });
console.log(formatter.format(new Date()));

Related Date String Methods Top ↑

• toDateString(): simple local date only.
• toLocaleDateString(): localized date only.
• toTimeString(): local time and zone information.
• toString(): general local date and time.
• toISOString(): stable UTC machine-readable output.

Common toLocaleString() Mistakes Top ↑

• Assuming default formatting is identical on every device.
• Parsing localized output as if it were a stable storage format.
• Using fixed numeric time-zone offsets for locations that observe DST.
• Constructing a new formatter repeatedly in a large rendering loop.

Next: toDateString() → ← Date Reference

Subhendu Mohapatra

Author & Instructor at plus2net

I write and maintain practical tutorials on Python, PHP, SQL, JavaScript, HTML, jQuery, and web development at plus2net. The tutorials focus on clear explanations, working examples, and code that readers can test and adapt while learning.

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