How to Set Your Time and Time Zone Manually Windows 11 & 10 (2026)

Learning how to set your time and time zone manually windows is essential when auto-sync fails, you are traveling between regions, or managing a dual-boot system.

Whether you are correcting a server glitch or customizing your regional setup, this guide provides three proven methods to get your system clock back on track instantly.

Why Adjust Your Windows Time Manually?

Before diving into the steps, it helps to understand why the “Set time automatically” feature fails. Common culprits include:

• CMOS Battery Failure: If your PC forgets the time after every reboot, your motherboard battery might be dead.
• Dual-Booting: Running Linux and Windows on the same machine often causes time conflicts (UTC vs. Local Time).
• VPN Usage: Virtual Private Networks can confuse your location services, defaulting to the wrong time zone.

Below, we cover the easiest method first (Settings App), followed by legacy methods (Control Panel) and advanced options (Command Line).

How to Set Your Time and Time Zone Manually in Windows 11 & 10

Method 1: The Modern Way (Settings App)

For 90% of users, the Settings app is the fastest route. However, there is a specific “toggle trick” you must perform, or the manual options will remain greyed out.

1. Open Date & Time Settings: Right-click the clock in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar and select Adjust date and time. Alternatively, press Win + I to open Settings and navigate to Time & language > Date & time.

2. Disable Auto-Sync (Crucial Step): You cannot manually edit the time if Windows is trying to sync with the internet.
   • Toggle Off the switch labeled Set time automatically.
   • Toggle Off the switch labeled Set time zone automatically.

Change the Time Zone

1. Locate the Time zone dropdown menu. Click it and select your current region (e.g., (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)).

Set the Date and Time:

1. Find the section labeled Set the date and time manually. Click the Change button.

2. Enter Correct Details: A pop-up window will appear. Input the correct date and time, then click Change to save.

Pro Tip: If you notice your clock drifting minutes after you fix it, verify your Region settings to ensure your format (MM/DD/YYYY vs. DD/MM/YYYY) matches your location.

Method 2: The Legacy Way (Control Panel)

If you prefer the classic interface or are using an older version of the OS, the Control Panel offers a reliable alternative for figuring out how to set your time and time zone manually windows.

1. Press Win + R, type control, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to Clock and Region and click on Date and Time.

Change Time Zone

1. Click the Change time zone… button.

2. Select your region from the dropdown. Click OK.

Change Date and Time

1. Click the Change date and time… button.

2. Use the calendar interface to pick the date and the spinner to adjust the hours and minutes.

1. Click OK > Apply to finalize your settings.

For more on legacy Windows settings, check out Microsoft’s Official Support Page.

Advanced Fix: Changing the Internet Time Server

Sometimes, manually setting the time isn’t enough because Windows tries to revert to a bad sync source. If you find your manual changes are being overwritten, change the Time Server.

1. Return to the Date and Time window in Control Panel (as shown in Method 2).
2. Click the Internet Time tab at the top right.
3. Click Change settings… (Admin permission required).
4. Check the box Synchronize with an Internet time server.
5. In the Server dropdown, change time.windows.com to time.nist.gov (The National Institute of Standards and Technology).
6. Click Update now followed by OK. This often resolves persistent “wrong time” glitches.

Method 3: The Admin Way (Command Prompt)

For system administrators or power users who need to script these changes across multiple machines, the Command Prompt (CMD) is the most efficient tool.

Using the tzutil Command

1. Press Win + S, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator.
2. Check Current Zone: Type the following and press Enter:
   tzutil /g
3. List All Zones: To find the exact ID of the time zone you want, type:
   tzutil /l
   (Tip: Use Ctrl + F to search this long list).
4. Set New Zone: Use the /s flag followed by the Zone ID in quotes. For example, to switch to Pacific Standard Time:
   tzutil /s “Pacific Standard Time”

Using the time and date Commands

• To set the time, type time HH:MM:SS (e.g., time 14:30:00) and press Enter.
• To set the date, type date MM-DD-YYYY and press Enter.

Force Resync with w32tm (Deep Troubleshooting)

If the basic commands fail, use the Windows Time Service tool to force a system-wide reset.

• Resync Command: Type w32tm /resync and hit Enter. This forces Windows to immediately check the time server.
• Registration Fix: If that fails, unregister and re-register the time service by typing these two commands in order:
  1. w32tm /unregister
  2. w32tm /register

Method 4: Using PowerShell (Modern Automation)

While CMD is reliable, Windows 11 is optimized for PowerShell. This method is preferred for users who want to use modern syntax.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
2. Set Date and Time: Use the Set-Date cmdlet.
   Set-Date -Date “01/14/2026 10:00 AM”
3. Find Time Zone ID: To see available zones, type:
   Get-TimeZone -ListAvailable
4. Set Time Zone: Use the ID found in the previous step.
   Set-TimeZone -Id “Pacific Standard Time”

Troubleshooting: Why Can’t I Change My Time?

A common user frustration is finding the Change button greyed out. If you are struggling with this, here is how to resolve it:

1. Check the Toggles: As mentioned in Method 1, ensure “Set time automatically” is strictly Off.
2. Group Policy Restrictions: If this is a work computer, your IT department may have locked these settings. You can verify this by looking for a message at the top of the Settings window saying, “Some settings are managed by your organization.”
3. Windows Time Service:
   • Press Win + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
   • Scroll down to Windows Time.
   • Right-click and select Restart. This forces the service to refresh, often unfreezing the manual options.

Check Location Privacy Settings

If “Set time zone automatically” is greyed out, your Location Services might be disabled.

1. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Location.
2. Ensure Location services is toggled On.
3. Scroll down to “Let apps access your location” and ensure Set time zone automatically (or “Windows”) has permission. Without this, Windows cannot detect which region you are in.

The BIOS/UEFI Hardware Check

If you set the time manually but it resets every time you restart your computer, the issue is likely not in Windows.

1. Restart your computer and press the BIOS key (usually F2, Del, or F12) during boot.
2. Locate the System Time or Date & Time section in the BIOS menu.
3. If the time here is incorrect, change it and save.
4. Crucial Note: If the BIOS time resets after you unplug the computer, your CMOS battery (a small coin battery on the motherboard) is dead and needs replacing.

Expert Fix: The Dual-Boot Time Shift (Registry Edit)

If you run both Linux and Windows on the same PC, Windows assumes the hardware clock is Local Time, while Linux assumes it is UTC. This causes the time to jump every time you switch OS.

To fix this permanently without resetting the clock daily:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Paste the following command to force Windows to use UTC (Universal Time) like Linux:
   reg add “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TimeZoneInformation” /v RealTimeIsUniversal /d 1 /t REG_DWORD /f
3. Restart Windows. Your time will now stay consistent across both operating systems.

Bonus Trick: Create a “Time Settings” Shortcut

Do you travel frequently? Instead of digging through menus, create a desktop shortcut to access these settings instantly.

1. Right-click on your empty desktop and select New > Shortcut.
2. In the location box, type exactly:
   ms-settings:dateandtime
3. Click Next, name it “Change Time,” and click Finish.
4. You now have a one-click button to open the exact menu needed to set your time and time zone manually.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

Mastering these settings ensures your file timestamps, calendar events, and scheduled updates run perfectly without conflict. Whether you choose the modern Settings app or the robust Command Prompt, you now know exactly how to set your time and time zone manually windows efficiently.

If this guide helped you resolve your sync issues, please share it with your team or drop a comment below if you are facing a unique error code—we would love to help you troubleshoot further!

For further reading on time synchronization protocols, visit NTP.org.

Zachary Allen 'The Geek'

IT Security / Cyber Security Experts.
Technology Enthusiasm.
Love to read, test and write about IT, Cyber Security and Technology.
The Geek coming from the things I love and how I look.