diff --git a/.changeset/odd-cougars-greet.md b/.changeset/odd-cougars-greet.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7b3110c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/odd-cougars-greet.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@formwerk/core': patch
+---
+
+fix: change time placeholders to dashes since it is more common
diff --git a/packages/core/src/useDateTimeField/constants.ts b/packages/core/src/useDateTimeField/constants.ts
index a8677e39..8457289e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/useDateTimeField/constants.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/useDateTimeField/constants.ts
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ export function getSegmentTypePlaceholder(type: DateTimeSegmentType) {
     year: 'YYYY',
     month: 'MM',
     day: 'DD',
-    hour: 'HH',
-    minute: 'mm',
-    second: 'ss',
+    hour: '--',
+    minute: '--',
+    second: '--',
     dayPeriod: 'AM',
     weekday: 'ddd',
   };