Mastering WordPress: Effortless Steps to Add a Date Picker to Your Forms

Inconsistent date entries can complicate a simple WordPress form, leading to a frustrating experience. When users input dates in various formats like slashes, dashes, or full month names, it creates a data management challenge that can take hours to resolve.

This is why incorporating a date picker into your forms is a wise decision.

By providing a user-friendly calendar interface, a date picker eliminates formatting confusion and makes it easier for mobile users to select dates instead of typing them manually.

In this guide, we will demonstrate the easiest method to add a date picker to your WordPress forms. Whether you’re setting up booking forms, event registrations, or appointment scheduling, this simple enhancement can benefit both you and your visitors. 🙌

Why Should You Add a Date Picker to Your WordPress Form?

In summary, a date picker simplifies date entry for users while ensuring reliability for you.

After handling thousands of online forms in WordPress, we’ve observed that date-related fields often lead to issues. Incorrect date formats are frequently among the top reasons for failed form submissions or user confusion.

A date picker field addresses these common issues and enhances the user experience. We’ve seen it effectively applied in:

The advantage of using a date picker is that it ensures uniformity across all submissions. Say goodbye to confusion over whether 03/04/2026 refers to March 4th or April 3rd, a common issue with manual data entry.

Next, we will guide you through the simple process of creating a WordPress form with a date picker. Here are the steps we’ll outline, and you can use the quick links below to navigate through them:

Let’s Get Started.

Step 1: Install the WPForms Plugin

We have tested numerous form and date picker plugins over the years, including popular choices like Ninja Forms and Gravity Forms.

For adding date pickers, we have found WPForms to be the most user-friendly option, particularly for beginners looking to create professional forms without any coding.

In addition to a date picker, WPForms offers premium features such as conditional logic to display or hide fields based on user input. You can also utilize smart calculators for automatic pricing estimates.

At CanadaCreate, we primarily use WPForms for most of our forms, and we highly recommend it. Check out our comprehensive WPForms review for more information.

Begin by visiting the WPForms website to create your account. Simply click the ‘Get WPForms Now’ button, choose the plan that suits you, and complete the signup process.

After signing up, log in to your WPForms account dashboard. Here, you will find the zip file for the plugin and your license key. You can keep this page open or store these details securely in a password manager.

Next, navigate to your WordPress dashboard and select Plugins » Add New Plugin.

Utilize the search bar on this page to quickly find WPForms.

Once you see it in the search results, click ‘Install Now,’ and then click ‘Activate’ after the installation is complete.

For comprehensive instructions, you may want to refer to our detailed guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

After the plugin installation, you will need to activate your license key.

In WPForms »Settings, paste your license key into the designated field and click the ‘Verify Key’ button.

Step 2: Select a Form Template

Once activated, go to the WPForms » Add New page from your WordPress dashboard.

This will take you to the ‘Select a Template’ page.

Before selecting a template, it’s advisable to name your WordPress form for easier identification later.

Next, you will decide how to create your form – by using WPForms AI, a pre-designed template, or starting from scratch.

If you choose to use the AI form builder, simply provide a straightforward prompt, and the AI will quickly generate the form for you.

For this demonstration, we will select the Simple Contact Form template and then incorporate the date picker field. However, feel free to choose a template that best fits your needs.

As you scroll down the Setup page, you will find over 2,000 pre-designed form templates available. Use the search bar to refine your options.

Once you’ve made your selection, just click the ‘Use Template’ button.

Step 3: Incorporate the Date Picker Field into Your WordPress Form

You will now be taken to the WPForms form builder, where you’ll see the field options on the left and a preview of your form on the right.

The default Simple Contact Form template includes only the name, email address, and comments fields.

In this guide, we will demonstrate how to add a date field to your WordPress form. If your template already includes this field, you can skip to the editing section.

Locate the ‘Date / Time’ field in the Fancy Fields section of the left panel.

Drag and drop the ‘Date / Time’ field to your desired location on the form. In this example, we have placed it just below the Email field.

After placing the field, click on the ‘Date / Time’ field to access the editing options. This will open the ‘Field Options’ tab on the left side of your screen.

Here, you can modify the field label, which is set to ‘Date / Time’ by default. We will change it to ‘Preferred Time for Phone Call.’

You can also adjust the date format using the Format dropdown menu, with options for Date and Time, Date only, or Time only. This feature is helpful if you want to collect users’ birthdates without including a time field.

Additionally, you can provide a description to clarify what information the user needs to enter in this field.

You can also check the ‘Required’ box to make this field mandatory, ensuring that users must select a date and time before submitting the form.

After completing that, simply click the ‘Save’ button at the top to save your form settings.

Step 4: Set Up the Date Time Picker Options

By default, the date range picker on your WordPress form features a calendar alongside a time selection dropdown.

The current date will be automatically selected.

When users click on the field, a calendar will appear with the current date displayed in the month/day/year format, allowing them to select a different date if desired.

The time dropdown is set to a 12-hour format with 30-minute increments by default.

Users can then select a time that suits them best.

In some situations, you may wish to adjust the date picker settings to align with your country’s date format, such as day/month/year or a 24-hour clock instead of the default settings.

To make these adjustments, switch to the ‘Advanced’ tab located at the top of the left-side panel.

You can modify the size of the date picker field here. In the Date section, you have the option to change the date selection from a calendar view to a dropdown menu.

Using a date dropdown menu instead of a calendar picker is beneficial when space is limited and the calendar appears too small.

Here’s an example of how the date dropdown menu appears:

Below this, you can adjust the date format to suit your region. For instance, you can switch from the US format (mm/dd/yyyy) to the International format (dd/mm/yyyy).

If you select the calendar date picker, you can also add placeholder text in the ‘Date’ field. Including your date format as placeholder text helps users understand the required format, reducing confusion.

You can also enable the ‘Limit Days’ option to restrict available dates. This feature is useful for preventing bookings on weekends or specific holidays.

We strongly recommend selecting the ‘Disable Past Dates’ option for appointment forms. This ensures users cannot book a time in the past, helping to maintain an accurate schedule.

Additionally, you can disable today’s date if you want to prevent same-day bookings.

Next, navigate to the ‘Time’ section to modify the time picker settings.

Here, you can adjust the time interval to either 15 minutes or 1 hour instead of the default 30 minutes. It’s also beneficial to include placeholder text to indicate the time format being used.

The time picker is set to a 12-hour format by default, but you can easily switch it to a 24-hour format if that suits your needs better.

Feel free to enable the ‘Limit Hours’ option to define the start and end times for your services. This ensures that users cannot schedule appointments outside of your business hours.

Additionally, you can enter a CSS class name for the date range field. This is an advanced and optional feature that allows you to customize the form’s appearance using code later on.

Lastly, you have the option to hide the form field label and/or sublabel if needed.

Once you’re satisfied with your new form, save it by clicking the ‘Save’ button located in the top right corner of the screen.

Step 5: Embed Your WordPress Form on Your Website

You are now ready to add your new form with the date picker to your WordPress website. To do this, simply click the ‘Embed’ button at the top of the form builder.

A popup will appear prompting you to either choose an existing page to add the form or create a new page from scratch. Both options utilize the block editor, making the steps quite similar.

Add the WPForms Block to an Existing or New Page

To insert the form into an existing page, click the ‘Select Existing Page’ button. Then, choose one of the pages currently on your WordPress blog or website and click ‘Let’s Go!’

If you prefer to add the form to a new page, simply click the ‘Create New Page’ button.

Next, provide a name for your new page and click ‘Let’s Go!’

Both methods will direct you to the block editor, where you will find instructions on how to add the WPForms block.

First, click the ‘+’ button to add a block.

Then, enter ‘WPForms’ in the block search bar.

You can easily drag and drop the block to the desired location on the page.

Now, click the dropdown menu.

Then, select the form you just created.

In the Block settings sidebar, you can customize the styles of the form fields, labels, and buttons to better match your WordPress theme.

You can adjust the size, border radius, and colors of each element.

Click the ‘Update’ or ‘Publish’ button to make your form live on your website.

Your WordPress website should display the form like this:

To add the form widget to a post instead of a page, create a new post or edit an existing one in the block editor.

Then, follow the same steps to add the WPForms block to your page as described in this method.

Incorporate the WPForms Block into a Widget-Ready Area

If you’re using a classic WordPress theme, consider placing your form in a widget-ready header, footer, or sidebar. This is ideal for shorter forms that won’t take up much space.

To proceed, navigate to Appearance »Widgets in the WordPress admin dashboard. Next, select your preferred widget-ready area and click the white ‘+’ add block button. After that, search for the WPForms block.

If two options appear, you can choose either one as they both function the same.

As in the previous method, select the form you created earlier. In the Block settings sidebar, you can customize the design to better match your WordPress theme.

Once you are satisfied with the changes, simply click the ‘Update’ button.

That’s all there is to it!

Here’s how our form appears at the bottom of a WordPress blog post:

Embed Your WordPress Form Using a Shortcode

If the WPForms block or widget is not functioning properly, you can also add your WordPress form by using a shortcode.

In the ‘Embed in a Page’ popup, just click the ‘use a shortcode’ link. You will then see a shortcode that you can copy and paste into a page, post, or widget-ready area.

For additional details on how to use shortcodes, check out our article on adding a shortcode in WordPress.

🎁 Bonus Step: Activate Appointment Reminders

If you’re using your form for scheduling appointments or bookings, setting up automated reminders can significantly enhance the experience.

Integrating your form with your email marketing service enables you to send appointment reminders, which helps minimize no-shows and keeps everything organized.

It also gives users peace of mind that their submission was successful and their appointment is confirmed.

Follow our comprehensive guide to easily set up confirmation emails for your form submitters. With just a few clicks, you can ensure that users receive timely reminders about their chosen date or time. ⏰

Frequently Asked Questions: How to Create a WordPress Form with a Date Picker

Are you considering adding a date picker to your WordPress forms? Here are some frequently asked questions to help you get started.

Essential Tips to Enhance Your WordPress Form

We hope this article has guided you in creating a WordPress form with a date picker.

Now that you know how to incorporate a date picker into WordPress forms, let’s explore the top tips to elevate your forms:

• Enable online payments in your forms – WPForms integrates with popular payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, Square, and Authorize.net, allowing you to collect both one-time and recurring payments without any extra transaction fees.
• Make your longer forms more engaging – If you have an event or user registration form that requires extensive information, transforming it into a conversational format can boost the completion rate.
• Reduce contact form spam – Activate WPForms’ built-in anti-spam features and reCAPTCHA checkbox to filter out unwanted form submissions.
• Create multilingual forms to enhance your website’s accessibility and connect with a broader audience by offering forms in various languages.
• Discover best practices for designing effective contact forms that can turn casual visitors into valuable leads or customers on your WordPress site.
• Learn how to create more engaging forms with tips from WPForms co-founder Jared Atchison, including the use of conditional logic and rich media elements.

If you enjoyed this article, consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel for WordPress tutorials. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more updates.