Where to find the time settings on your computer
The quickest way to change your system time is through the clock in your taskbar or menu bar. On Windows, click the clock in the bottom right corner of your screen. On Mac, click the clock in the top right corner. Both will open a panel where you can select "Date & Time Settings" or "Date & Time Preferences" to make changes.
If that panel does not appear, you can reach the same settings through your system preferences. On Windows 10 or 11, open Settings, then select Time & Language, then Date & Time. On Mac, open System Preferences (or System Settings on newer versions), then select Date & Time. Both paths lead to the same controls.
Key Takeaways
- Click your system clock in the taskbar or menu bar to open the fastest route to time settings on either Windows or Mac.
- Turning off automatic time updates lets you set the time manually, but leaving it on prevents drift and keeps your system accurate.
- If your time keeps resetting after you change it, a dead CMOS battery (on older computers) or a syncing service may be overriding your changes.
- Changing your time zone is separate from changing the time itself, and you may need to do both if you have moved or your region observes daylight saving time.
Automatic time versus manual time
Most computers are set to update the time automatically, which means your system contacts a time server on the internet and adjusts itself. This is the more reliable option because it prevents your clock from drifting — computers keep time by counting oscillations in a quartz crystal, and that count is not perfectly accurate over hours or days. Automatic updates correct that drift regularly.
If you turn off automatic updates to set the time manually, your clock will gradually fall behind or run ahead. This matters if you use programs that depend on accurate time, like banking software, email clients, or file synchronization tools. Those programs may refuse to work or may produce errors if your system time is far off. Unless you have a specific reason to set the time manually, leaving automatic updates on is the better choice.
How to set the time manually if automatic updates are off
On Windows, open Date & Time Settings, then toggle off "Set time automatically." A new field will appear where you can click "Change" to set the date and time by hand. Type in the correct values and click "Confirm." On Mac, open Date & Time Preferences, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then uncheck "Set date and time automatically." You can then click the date and time fields to edit them directly.
After you change the time manually, your computer will hold that time until you change it again or turn automatic updates back on. If you are only adjusting the time by a few minutes to correct a drift, you can make the change and then turn automatic updates back on — your system will resume syncing with the time server on its next update cycle.
Changing your time zone
Your time zone setting is separate from the actual time. If you have moved to a different region or your area has switched to or from daylight saving time, you need to update your time zone, not the time itself. On Windows, open Date & Time Settings and scroll to "Time zone," then select your region from the dropdown. On Mac, open Date & Time Preferences, click the Time Zone tab, and search for your city or region.
When you change your time zone, your computer will automatically adjust the displayed time to match. If you are in the Eastern time zone and you change to Pacific, the clock will move back three hours. This is the correct behavior — your system is not losing time, it is displaying the same moment in a different zone. If you travel frequently or work across time zones, you can leave automatic time zone detection on, which uses your location to update the zone for you.
Why your time keeps resetting or changing on its own
If you set the time manually and it reverts to a different time after you restart your computer, automatic time updates are likely still on. Check your Date & Time Settings and confirm that "Set time automatically" is toggled off. If it is already off and the time is still changing, a background service or process may be overriding your setting — antivirus software, system utilities, or cloud sync programs sometimes do this.
On older computers, a dead or dying CMOS battery can cause the time to reset every time you shut down. The CMOS battery is a small coin-cell battery on your motherboard that keeps the system clock running when the computer is off. If your computer loses the time every time you power it down, and you have confirmed automatic updates are off, the CMOS battery may need replacement. This is a hardware issue that requires opening the computer case, so you may want to contact a technician or your computer manufacturer for help.
Syncing time across multiple devices
If you use multiple computers or devices, you may notice they show different times even though they are in the same location. This happens because each device syncs with a time server independently, and the servers may be slightly out of step. The difference is usually only a few seconds and does not matter for most tasks. If you need precise synchronization — for example, if you are recording video across multiple devices — you can manually set all devices to the same time, but they will drift apart again unless you resync them regularly.
Some cloud services and backup programs use your system time to determine when files were created or modified. If your time is significantly off, these programs may behave unexpectedly — for example, a backup tool might think a file is newer than it actually is and back it up repeatedly. Keeping your system time accurate through automatic updates prevents these kinds of problems across all your devices and applications.
What to do if you cannot find the time settings
On Windows, if clicking the clock does not open the settings panel, try right-clicking the clock instead. If that does not work, open the Start menu, type "Date & Time Settings" into the search box, and press Enter. On Mac, if clicking the clock does not work, open the Apple menu in the top left, select System Preferences or System Settings, then search for "Date & Time" in the search box at the top.
If you are using a work computer or a school computer, your system administrator may have locked the time settings to prevent changes. In that case, you will not be able to modify the time yourself — contact your IT department or help desk to request a change. Some security software also restricts access to time settings as a protection against malware, so check your antivirus or security program settings if you are blocked from making changes on your personal computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my time zone affect my files or documents?
No. Changing your time zone updates only how your computer displays the current time. Your files keep their original creation and modification dates — the system straightforward shows those dates in your new time zone. If a file was created at 3 p.m. Eastern time and you switch to Pacific time, it will now show as created at 12 p.m. Pacific, but the actual moment in time has not changed.
What happens if my computer time is very far off?
Programs that rely on accurate time — like email clients, banking apps, and security certificates — may refuse to work or show errors. Websites may also reject your connection if your system time is more than a few minutes off. Turning automatic time updates back on will fix this within a few minutes, as your computer syncs with a time server.
Can I set a different time for different user accounts on the same computer?
No. The system time is global across all user accounts on a computer. If you change the time, it changes for everyone who uses that computer. However, you can set different time zones for different accounts in some cases, though this is not a standard feature on most systems.
Does daylight saving time change happen automatically?
Yes, if you have automatic time updates on and your time zone is set correctly. Your computer will spring forward or fall back on the correct date for your region. If automatic updates are off, you will need to manually adjust the time when daylight saving time changes in your area.
Why does my computer show a different time than my phone?
Your phone and computer sync with different time servers, which may be slightly out of step. The difference is usually only a few seconds. If the difference is more than a minute, check that both devices have automatic time updates on and are set to the same time zone. Restarting either device will often resync it with the correct time.