My Computer Time Is Wrong – How to Fix It

By default, your computer will sync the time and date based on your timezone. However, if you notice unusual time differences here and there, even after manually correcting them, it’s time to troubleshoot the issue.

There are several reasons why your computer is displaying the wrong time. However, here are the most common ones.

In most cases, your date and time issue can be easily fixed by changing the time zone on your system. However, the solution can vary according to the actual cause of the issue. 

Hence, you can try the following solutions until the problem gets fixed.

Check Your Time Zone 

Most of the time, your computer time is wrong due to incorrect time zone settings. So you should check if it’s configured correctly. Here’s how you can check as well as rectify it.

1. Press Windows + I key to open the Settings app.
2. Click on Time & Language.
3. Click on Date & time on the sidebar.
4. Now, under the Time zone, click on the dropdown and select the correct time zone.
5. Now you can toggle on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically.
   

You can follow our article to set date and time automatically on other devices like Mac, iPhone, Xbox and AndroidTV.

Check if Windows Time Service Is Disabled

It could be the case that a Windows service called Windows Time which ensures date and time synchronization is not running. 

Here’s how you can start Windows Time service:

1. Press the Windows + R key and type the command services.msc.
2. Click on OK.
3. Scroll downwards and look for Windows Time.
4. Right-click on Windows Time and select the Properties option.
5. Under the General tab, if Service status shows Running then leave it as it.
6. Otherwise, click on the Start button.
7. Additionally, expand the dropdown next to the Startup type and set it to the Automatic option.
   
8. Click on OK.
9. Restart the system to apply the changes.

Switch the Internet Time Server

By default, Windows provides us with its own time server. However, you can switch to other servers or even add a public time server from open-source. Doing this will sync your PC to that particular server’s time. Here’s how you can switch it.

1. Press Windows + I key to open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to Time & Language.
3. On the left side, click on Region.
4. Under the Related settings on the right side of the window, click on Additional date, time & regional settings.
5. Click on Date and Time.
6. Under the Time zone section, click on Change time zone.
7. Expand the time zone dropdown and set the correct time zone.
8. Again, click on the Internet Time tab, and click on Change settings.
9. Click the checkbox next to Synchronize with an Internet time server.
10. Next to the Server field, switch to a different time server.
11. Click on Ok to save changes and see if it works now.

Configure Using W32time.exe

W32time.exe is a tool for troubleshooting the Windows Time Service settings. Running it forces your PC to resynchronize its clock as soon as possible. Here’s how you can use it.

1. Press Windows + R key and type cmd.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter key to open cmd as administrator.
3. Click Yes on the UAC prompt.
4. Type the following commands in sequential order
   • net stop w32time
   • w32tm /unregister
   • w32tm /register
   • net start w32time
   • w32tm /resync /nowait
     
5. Exit the window and see if your problem has been resolved.

Replace the CMOS Battery

The CMOS battery is mainly responsible for powering the BIOS firmware. However, if it is damaged or dead, it can reset the date and time settings, often leading to an earlier date and time.

To fix this issue, you need to replace your CMOS battery. It is fairly easy, and you can do it yourselves. However, if you need some guidance, you can follow our article to replace the CMOS battery.

Scan and Remove Viruses or Malware

If your system has viruses or malware, those can also infect the system files responsible for maintaining the correct date and time. So, we suggest you run a reliable antivirus application and scan to detect any infected files in the system. 

Furthermore, it is even better to do it inside the safe mode. Your system will only access the essential files and device drivers in safe mode and even prevent viruses and malware from starting up.

See if the date and time are restored correctly after removing them.