How to Add 7 Days to a Date in Excel

To add 7 days to a date in Excel, type =A2+7, where A2 holds the date. Excel stores dates as numbers (one per day), so adding 7 gives the date one week later, and it handles month and year changes automatically. For example, December 28, 2026 becomes January 4, 2027. To skip weekends, use =WORKDAY(A2,7) instead, which adds 7 business days. Here are both, plus how to build a weekly schedule and shift a whole column of dates at once.

Method 1: Add 7 with a formula

1. Put your starting date in A2, for example 10/8/2026.
2. In B2, type =A2+7 and press Enter. The result is 10/15/2026.
3. If B2 shows a number such as 46310, format it as a date with Home > Number Format > Short Date.
4. Double-click the fill handle to copy the formula down.

Variations

• Subtract a week: =A2-7
• A week from today: =TODAY()+7. This updates every day.
• A number of weeks from another cell: =A2+7*B2
• Days from another cell: =A2+B2

Method 2: Build a weekly series

With a formula

Put the first date in A2, and type =A2+7 in A3. Copy A3 down. Each row is one week after the row above. That’s ideal for weekly schedules and payment plans.

Without a formula

1. Type the first date in A2.
2. Select A2 and the empty cells below it.
3. Go to Home > Fill > Series.
4. Choose Columns and Date, set the unit to Day and the Step value to 7, and click OK.

Another shortcut: type two dates a week apart, select both, and drag the fill handle. Excel continues the 7-day pattern. For a full layout, see how to make a weekly schedule in Excel.

Method 3: Add 7 business days (skip weekends)

=WORKDAY(A2,7) adds seven working days, skipping Saturdays and Sundays. A Friday plus 7 workdays lands on the Tuesday of the week after next.

• To skip holidays too, list them in a range and add it: =WORKDAY(A2,7,$H$2:$H$12).
• If your weekend isn’t Saturday and Sunday, use WORKDAY.INTL, for example =WORKDAY.INTL(A2,7,7) for a Friday-Saturday weekend.

Method 4: Shift many dates at once (no formula)

To move a whole column of dates forward by a week in place:

1. Type 7 in an empty cell and copy it with Ctrl + C.
2. Select the dates.
3. Right-click and choose Paste Special, choose Add under Operation, and click OK.
4. Delete the cell with the 7.

The dates change directly, with no extra column needed.

Adding months or years instead

Adding a fixed number of days doesn’t work well for months, which have different lengths. Use EDATE instead. See how to add 6 months to a date in Excel and how to add one year to a date. For general date maths, see how to add dates in Excel.

Troubleshooting

#VALUE! error

The date in A2 is text, not a real date. You’ll often see it left-aligned in the cell. Retype it, or convert it with =DATEVALUE(A2)+7.

The answer is a five-digit number

That’s the date’s serial number. Apply a date format.

Dates change every day

You used TODAY(). For a fixed start date, press Ctrl + ; to enter today’s date as a value. If you need the same date in several cells, see how to copy the same date in Excel.

Related guides

• How to calculate the difference between two dates
• How to add a calendar drop-down in Excel

Summary

1. Type =A2+7 to add a week.
2. Use Fill > Series with a step of 7 for a weekly list.
3. Use =WORKDAY(A2,7) to skip weekends.
4. Use Paste Special > Add to shift existing dates in place.

Related: how to convert days to years in Excel.

Related: how to subtract two dates in Excel.

Matt Jacobs

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.