Keeping accurate system time is essential for your computer to function properly. Windows relies on the correct time for several critical services including file timestamping, network authentication, secure website access (SSL/TLS), and even Windows Update. If your PC shows the wrong time or date, or the time keeps resetting or drifting, it can lead to frustrating problems like login failures, connection errors, or blocked software installations. This issue is especially common on systems that are not restarted frequently, have weak CMOS batteries, or are blocked from syncing with internet time servers.
By default, Windows is set to automatically sync its time using the Windows Time Service (W32Time) with a remote internet server like time.windows.com. But if your clock is out of sync or never updates, this feature may not be functioning correctly. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to fix it.
The first step is to manually resync the time. Right-click on the clock in the taskbar and choose “Adjust date/time.” Under the “Date & time” settings, make sure “Set time automatically” is turned on. Also enable “Set time zone automatically” if applicable. Then scroll down and click “Sync now” under the “Synchronize your clock” section. If the sync fails, it will display the last attempt time along with an error message.
If the manual sync doesn’t work, try changing the time server. Go to Control Panel > Date and Time > Internet Time tab > Change settings. Check “Synchronize with an internet time server,” and in the server field, try a different one such as time.nist.gov, pool.ntp.org, or time.google.com. Click “Update now.” If successful, the time should correct immediately. If it fails, you’ll see a message such as “An error occurred while Windows was synchronizing.”
When time sync continues to fail, the Windows Time Service itself may be malfunctioning. To restart or re-register it, open Command Prompt as administrator and enter the following commands one by one
net stop w32time
w32tm /unregister
w32tm /register
net start w32time
w32tm /resync
These commands reset and restart the Windows Time Service, clearing out any corruption or misconfigurations that may prevent it from working.
Network-related issues can also block time synchronization. Firewalls, VPNs, or DNS problems may prevent access to external time servers. Make sure your system is connected to the internet and can resolve domain names like time.windows.com by pinging them from the Command Prompt. Also, try temporarily disabling any third-party firewall or security software that may block NTP (Network Time Protocol) traffic.
If your computer is part of a business domain or managed network, Group Policy may override local time sync settings. Open gpedit.msc, then navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Windows Time Service > Time Providers. Check that “Enable Windows NTP Client” is set to Enabled, and that the NTP server and update interval are correctly configured.
In BIOS/UEFI, a failing CMOS battery may be the root cause if your PC loses time after being powered off. The CMOS battery maintains basic settings like date and time when the system is unplugged. If your time resets every time you reboot or after being off for a while, consider replacing the CMOS battery—usually a CR2032 coin cell—on your motherboard.
For users who travel or work across time zones, make sure Windows is set to adjust for Daylight Saving Time and to auto-detect the time zone. Go to Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time and toggle both “Set time zone automatically” and “Adjust for daylight saving time automatically.”
If all else fails, consider using a third-party time sync tool. Utilities like NetTime or Dimension 4 offer alternative methods for syncing time using public NTP servers and often include logging and scheduling features that provide more control than Windows’ built-in tool.
In summary, if Windows fails to sync time properly, the issue could be a simple misconfiguration, a blocked NTP connection, a corrupted Windows Time Service, or hardware failure like a dead CMOS battery. With systematic troubleshooting—starting from time settings and server switching to service resets and BIOS checks—you can restore accurate system time and avoid a host of related system errors.
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