Object.prototype.toLocaleString()

The toLocaleString() method of {{jsxref("Object")}} instances returns a string representing this object. This method is meant to be overridden by derived objects for locale-specific purposes.

{{InteractiveExample("JavaScript Demo: Object.prototype.toLocaleString()")}}

```js interactive-example const date = new Date(Date.UTC(2012, 11, 20, 3, 0, 0));

console.log(date.toLocaleString("ar-EG")); // Expected output: "٢٠‏/١٢‏/٢٠١٢ ٤:٠٠:٠٠ ص"

const number = 123456.789;

console.log(number.toLocaleString("de-DE")); // Expected output: "123.456,789"

## Syntax

```js-nolint
toLocaleString()

Parameters#

None. However, all objects that override this method are expected to accept at most two parameters, corresponding to locales and options, such as {{jsxref("Number.prototype.toLocaleString")}}. The parameter positions should not be used for any other purpose.

Return value#

The return value of calling this.toString().

Description#

All objects that inherit from Object.prototype (that is, all except null-prototype objects) inherit the toLocaleString() method. {{jsxref("Object")}}'s toLocaleString returns the result of calling {{jsxref("Object/toString", "this.toString()")}}.

This function is provided to give objects a generic toLocaleString method, even though not all may use it. In the core language, these built-in objects override toLocaleString to provide locale-specific formatting:

• {{jsxref("Array")}}: {{jsxref("Array.prototype.toLocaleString()")}}
• {{jsxref("Number")}}: {{jsxref("Number.prototype.toLocaleString()")}}
• {{jsxref("Date")}}: {{jsxref("Date.prototype.toLocaleString()")}}
• {{jsxref("TypedArray")}}: {{jsxref("TypedArray.prototype.toLocaleString()")}}
• {{jsxref("BigInt")}}: {{jsxref("BigInt.prototype.toLocaleString()")}}

Examples#

Using the base toLocaleString() method#

The base toLocaleString() method simply calls toString().

const obj = {
  toString() {
    return "My Object";
  },
};
console.log(obj.toLocaleString()); // "My Object"

Array toLocaleString() override#

{{jsxref("Array.prototype.toLocaleString()")}} is used to print array values as a string by invoking each element's toLocaleString() method and joining the results with a locale-specific separator. For example:

const testArray = [4, 7, 10];

const euroPrices = testArray.toLocaleString("fr", {
  style: "currency",
  currency: "EUR",
});
// "4,00 €,7,00 €,10,00 €"

Date toLocaleString() override#

{{jsxref("Date.prototype.toLocaleString()")}} is used to print out date displays more suitable for specific locales. For example:

const testDate = new Date();
// "Fri May 29 2020 18:04:24 GMT+0100 (British Summer Time)"

const deDate = testDate.toLocaleString("de");
// "29.5.2020, 18:04:24"

const frDate = testDate.toLocaleString("fr");
// "29/05/2020, 18:04:24"

Number toLocaleString() override#

{{jsxref("Number.prototype.toLocaleString()")}} is used to print out number displays more suitable for specific locales, e.g., with the correct separators. For example:

const testNumber = 2901234564;
// "2901234564"

const deNumber = testNumber.toLocaleString("de");
// "2.901.234.564"

const frNumber = testNumber.toLocaleString("fr");
// "2 901 234 564"

Specifications#

{{Specifications}}

Browser compatibility#

{{Compat}}

See also#

• {{jsxref("Object.prototype.toString()")}}