Menu Bar won't display the day of the week with the date

Menu Bar won't display the day of the week with the date, just day of the week with the time.


Menu Bar (Tahoe 26.0) settings:


Show date: Never, Show the day of the week: ON = Wed hh:mm

Show date: Always, Show the day of the week: ON = Sept 17  hh:mm

Show date: When Space Allows, Show the day of the week: ON = Sept 17  hh:mm

Show date: When Space Allows, Show the day of the week: OFF = Sept 17  hh:mm

Show date: Always, Show the day of the week: OFF = Sept 17  hh:mm

Show date: Never, Show the day of the week: OFF = hh:mm


This hasn't changed since Sonoma. It can't be because there is no space (17 menu icons total)...


Any thoughts on reinitialising the prefs file perhaps?


Best to all

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 26.0

Posted on Sep 17, 2025 9:51 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 17, 2025 12:30 PM

John Mollick wrote:

Thanks -- I'm down to only the control center... no day.

Like I said, I think it needs a pref reset or something...


https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/c008b635-a634-4ca3-b770-8e4bcfa303a9

[Edited by Moderator]


It is unusual issue I have not seen here—


and you tried the SafeBoot to clear caches and sort oddities like yours...(?)



If a corrupt plist  delete the com.apple.systempreferences.plist

 

Finder>Go>Go to Folder    copy and paste:

 ~/Library/com.apple.systempreferences.plist

 

reboot or in terminal copy and paste:

 killall Dock




did you try—


Set it manually date and time in System Settings, no harm there—the option is toggle OFF "Automatically."

compare your results—  I would do what works.  


if no resolve —


from the Terminal.app if a d&t plist issue copy & paste:

sudo rm /var/db/timed/com.apple.timed.plist


(note—your psswd will not echo on screen type it in anyway, use the enter\return key to proceed. Quit Terminal.)

Reboot and compare your results.



9 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 17, 2025 12:30 PM in response to John Mollick

John Mollick wrote:

Thanks -- I'm down to only the control center... no day.

Like I said, I think it needs a pref reset or something...


https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/c008b635-a634-4ca3-b770-8e4bcfa303a9

[Edited by Moderator]


It is unusual issue I have not seen here—


and you tried the SafeBoot to clear caches and sort oddities like yours...(?)



If a corrupt plist  delete the com.apple.systempreferences.plist

 

Finder>Go>Go to Folder    copy and paste:

 ~/Library/com.apple.systempreferences.plist

 

reboot or in terminal copy and paste:

 killall Dock




did you try—


Set it manually date and time in System Settings, no harm there—the option is toggle OFF "Automatically."

compare your results—  I would do what works.  


if no resolve —


from the Terminal.app if a d&t plist issue copy & paste:

sudo rm /var/db/timed/com.apple.timed.plist


(note—your psswd will not echo on screen type it in anyway, use the enter\return key to proceed. Quit Terminal.)

Reboot and compare your results.



Sep 17, 2025 9:56 AM in response to John Mollick

John Mollick wrote:

Menu Bar won't display the day of the week with the date, just day of the week with the time.


This hasn't changed since Sonoma. It can't be because there is no space (17 menu icons total)...


17 is a big number.


remove the clutter on the Menubar and make room for what you really need/ or want to see.


hold the Command key and drag items off

Sep 18, 2025 12:11 PM in response to leroydouglas

M. Leroy et al,


Thanks for all the great suggestions.


>> ~/Library/preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist (Tahoe), file deleted, reboot, same date and time, no day


>> booted in safe mode, still shows no day, rebooted to main user


>>sudo rm /var/db/timed/com.apple.timed.plist, rebooted, but nothing changed.


>>two other Macs in the house, both show the day. Both Tahoe.


>>Created new user account, no day


>> Set manually date and time in System Settings,  auto off, time changes, no day. back to auto, date changes


>> removed com.apple.controlcenter.plist, com.apple.Displays-Settings.extension.plist, com.apple.desktop.plist… no day.


I could make a fresh user, take the ~/Library/preferences/ from another mac (Tahoe) and see what happens... what do you think?


Oh the fun. Pffft.

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Menu Bar won't display the day of the week with the date

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