How to Change File Date Created
In the digital age, managing files and their metadata is an essential part of organizing and maintaining data. One of the most common tasks that users face is changing the date and time when a file was created. This can be useful for various reasons, such as updating the timestamp for files that have been moved from one location to another or adjusting the date for files that have been modified but not saved. In this article, we will discuss how to change the file date created on different operating systems and file types.
Windows
On Windows, changing the file creation date is a straightforward process. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Right-click on the file whose creation date you want to change.
2. Select “Properties” from the context menu.
3. Go to the “General” tab.
4. Click on “Change created date.”
5. Choose the new date and time you want to set for the file’s creation date.
6. Click “OK” to confirm the changes.
MacOS
For users of MacOS, the process is slightly different:
1. Right-click on the file and select “Get Info” from the context menu.
2. In the “Get Info” window, scroll down to the “Date” section.
3. Click on the current creation date and select “Date Created.”
4. Choose the new date and time you want to set for the file’s creation date.
5. Close the “Get Info” window to save the changes.
Linux
On Linux, the process involves using the command line. Here’s how to change the file creation date:
1. Open a terminal window.
2. Navigate to the directory containing the file using the `cd` command.
3. Run the following command, replacing “file_name” with the actual file name and “new_date” with the desired date in the format “YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS”:
“`
touch -d “new_date” file_name
“`
4. Verify that the creation date has been updated by running the `ls -l` command on the file.
Additional Tips
– When changing the file creation date, it’s important to ensure that the new date and time are accurate and relevant to the file’s actual creation.
– Some applications may not recognize the new creation date if it’s set to a future date.
– Remember that changing the file creation date does not affect the file’s actual content or the date and time it was last modified.
By following these steps, you can easily change the file date created on various operating systems, ensuring that your files are organized and up-to-date with their correct timestamps.
