1) you need to be a developer to test this as this is an API option that is as yet unused within core. Please read through entire test before commencing. 2) edit the comments block display callback to change the display format in each of the comments (New version) blocks/comments/lib.php: function block_comments_comment_display($comments, $args) { if ($args->commentarea != 'page_comments') { throw new comment_exception('invalidcommentarea'); } if ($args->itemid != 0) { throw new comment_exception('invalidcommentitemid'); } foreach ($comments as $comment) { $comment->strftimeformat = get_string('strftimerecentfull', 'langconfig'); } return $comments; } 3) Check that the comments in the comment block now display the year as well as the date/time.