How to Change the Number Format on a Mac

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 1, 2021

This wikiHow will teach you how to change the formats of measurement units, decimal and grouping separators, as well as regional keyboard numbers, dates, and times (by language) on your Mac.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Changing Number Format on the System

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It's the black, apple-shaped icon in the upper-left of your screen.
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Click on Language & Region . It's at the top of the preferences window.
- Click on ⋮⋮⋮⋮ in the top bar of the dialog box if you don't see all the system preferences icons.
It's in the lower right corner.
You can choose from a comma, period, apostrophe, space, or none, to select how the system will format larger numbers like 1,000,000.
You can choose from a comma or period to select how the system will format numbers with decimals.
You can choose from Metric, U.K., or U.S. You have now changed the number format on your Mac.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Changing Number Format for the Keyboard

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It's the black, apple-shaped icon in the upper-left of your screen.
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Click on Keyboard . It's near the center of the preferences window.
- If you don't see all of the System Preferences icons, click on ⋮⋮⋮⋮ in the top bar of the dialog box.
It's near the top of the dialog box.
It's below the pane on the left side of the dialog box.
They're listed alphabetically by language in the left pane of the dialog box.
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Click on Add . You've now changed the number format to that of the corresponding language. For example, if you select Bengali, the number keys will display Bengali characters.
- Check the box next to "Show input menu in menu bar," at the bottom of the dialog box, so you can toggle between number formats and keyboard languages.