diff -u b/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php b/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php
--- b/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
   public static function defaultFieldSettings() {
     return array(
       'file_extensions' => 'txt',
-      'file_directory' => '[field-storage:name]/[date:custom:Y]/[date:custom:m]/[date:custom:d]',
+      'file_directory' => '[field-storage:name]/[date:custom:Y]/[date:custom:m]',
       'max_filesize' => '',
       'description_field' => 0,
     ) + parent::defaultFieldSettings();
diff -u b/core/modules/file/src/Tests/FileFieldPathTest.php b/core/modules/file/src/Tests/FileFieldPathTest.php
--- b/core/modules/file/src/Tests/FileFieldPathTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/src/Tests/FileFieldPathTest.php
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
       $field_name . '/' .
       $date_formatter->format(REQUEST_TIME, 'custom', 'Y') . '/' .
       $date_formatter->format(REQUEST_TIME, 'custom', 'm') . '/' .
-      $date_formatter->format(REQUEST_TIME, 'custom', 'd') . '/' .
       $test_file->getFilename();
     $this->assertPathMatch($expected_filename, $node_file->getFileUri(), format_string('The file %file was uploaded to the correct path.', array('%file' => $node_file->getFileUri())));
 
diff -u b/core/profiles/standard/config/install/field.field.node.article.field_image.yml b/core/profiles/standard/config/install/field.field.node.article.field_image.yml
--- b/core/profiles/standard/config/install/field.field.node.article.field_image.yml
+++ b/core/profiles/standard/config/install/field.field.node.article.field_image.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 default_value: {  }
 default_value_callback: ''
 settings:
-  file_directory: '[field-storage:name]/[date:custom:Y]/[date:custom:m]/[date:custom:d]'
+  file_directory: '[field-storage:name]/[date:custom:Y]/[date:custom:m]'
   file_extensions: 'png gif jpg jpeg'
   max_filesize: ''
   max_resolution: ''
diff -u b/core/profiles/standard/config/install/field.field.user.user.user_picture.yml b/core/profiles/standard/config/install/field.field.user.user.user_picture.yml
--- b/core/profiles/standard/config/install/field.field.user.user.user_picture.yml
+++ b/core/profiles/standard/config/install/field.field.user.user.user_picture.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 default_value_callback: ''
 settings:
   file_extensions: 'png gif jpg jpeg'
-  file_directory: '[field-storage:name]/[date:custom:Y]/[date:custom:m]/[date:custom:d]'
+  file_directory: '[field-storage:name]/[date:custom:Y]/[date:custom:m]'
   max_filesize: '30 KB'
   alt_field: false
   title_field: false