How to Change Date and Time on Windows 10 and 11

By Atish Rajasekharan Updated August 20, 2024

Quick Tips

Enable automatic time syncing to ensure your date and time are always accurate.
Right-click the clock on your taskbar and select Adjust date and time. Toggle off the set time automatically and adjust the settings manually.
Sync Windows time and date to Internet time by adding the relevant server and clicking the update now button.

How to Change Date and Time in Windows

Step 1: On the desktop, right-click on the Date and time widget at the bottom right corner.

Step 2: From the context menu, select Adjust date and time. You will be taken to the Date & time settings window.

Step 3: Toggle off Set time automatically.

Note: If the option is already toggled off, move to the next method.

Toggle off the Set time automatically option

Step 4: Click the Change button next to Set the date and time manually.

Step 5: Now, change the date and time as per your preference. Finally, press the Change button.

And that’s about it. The date and time change on your PC as needed. Well, if you don’t want to do it through the Settings app, you can do it the traditional way.

How to Change Date and Time on Windows With Old UI

Step 1: Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and click Open.

Step 2: Go to Clock and Region.

Step 3: Under the Clock and Region window, select Date and time.

Step 4: Click Change date and time.

You will be presented with an option to change the date and time in the old-fashioned Windows way.

Step 5: After setting the date and time, click OK to apply the changes.

There you go. You have successfully changed the date and time using the old-fashioned way. This method is still prevalent, even after the release of Windows 11.

How to Set Date and Time Automatically on Windows

If you don’t want to manually change anything and want the operating system to set everything up for you, or if you want to roll back all the manual changes you made and automatically set your date and time, follow the below instructions.

Step 1: Press the Windows key, type Settings, and click Open.

Step 2: Go to Time & language.

Step 3: Now, select Date & time.

Step 4: Under Date & time, click on Time zone.

Step 5: From the drop-down, select your Time zone.

That’s it. Your time zone gets changed, and all the manual settings you made earlier will be replaced and updated with the time zone you select.

How to Synchronize Windows Time and Date to an Internet Time Server

Step 1: Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and click Open.

Step 2: Go to Clock and Region.

Step 3: Select the Date and time.

Step 4: Go to the Internet Time tab and click Change settings.

Step 5: In the Internet Time Settings window, check the Synchronize with an Internet time server box. Additionally, click the Update now button.

Note: You can change the server to in.pool.ntp.org if you are in India or time.nist.gov, the time server of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Step 6: Finally, click OK.

FAQs

1. Why are my computer date and time wrong?

Several factors can cause your computer to display the wrong date and time. Among them are malware or viruses that change the system time, low CMOS batteries, and disabled Windows Time Service.

2. When I restart my computer, why do the date and time change?

If this occurs, it is probably because your motherboard’s CMOS battery is low or dead. Once you change it, you will be good to go.

3. Why is it important for a system to keep accurate time?

The ability to maintain accurate time on your system is the most basic requirement for operating a computer network. Other than that, many tasks, such as file transfers, file details, basic recordkeeping, and so on, require accurate time.