How to Change Date and Time Formats in Windows 11 Clock and Region Settings

Accessing Date and Time Settings

Accessing date and time settings in Windows 11 takes just a few clicks through the main system menu. You can quickly open these controls to change your clock display preferences by using keyboard shortcuts or navigating through the Start menu ⊞ to reach your primary clock configuration screen.

1. Open Settings ⚙️ by pressing the Win and the I key together on your keyboard.

   

2. Click on Time & language in the left-hand sidebar menu.

   

3. Click on Date & time from the main panel choices to open the primary clock configuration screen.

   

Navigating to Region Settings

Navigating to region settings in Windows 11 lets you find specific format controls for time and date that live outside the main clock screen. You need to drill down another level past your primary clock configuration to reach the correct regional options page.

1. Scroll down the Date & time settings page until you see the Related links section.
2. Click on Language & region to open the regional options.

   

3. Scroll down to the Region section on the new page.
4. Click on Regional format to expand the dropdown menu or open the detailed format panel.

   

Changing the Time Format

Changing the time format in Windows 11 lets you control how short and long time displays appear on your taskbar 🖥️ and lock screen. You can easily adjust these settings by accessing the regional format options and choosing your preferred display style from the dropdown menus.

1. Click the Change format button next to your regional format selection if you are using Windows 11, or open the Additional date, time, and regional settings link if you are on an older version.

   

2. Locate the Short time dropdown menu, which controls the clock display on the bottom right corner of your taskbar 🖥️.
3. Select your preferred format from the list, choosing between 12-hour options (which include AM and PM) and 24-hour options.
4. Locate the Long time dropdown menu to change how the time appears in detailed system views.
5. Choose your preferred long time format from the available options. The changes apply to your system immediately without requiring a computer restart.

Modifying Time Formats Through Control Panel

Modifying time formats through Control Panel 🎛️ gives you access to the classic Windows interface if you prefer traditional menus over the modern Settings app ⚙️. You can launch this utility from the Start menu ⊞ search bar 🔍 to reach the main category view and open the Region dialog window.

1. Open the Start menu ⊞ search bar 🔍, type Control Panel 🎛️, and press Enter to launch the utility.

   

2. Click on Clock and Region under the main category view.
3. Click on Region to open the Region dialog window.

   

4. Locate the Formats tab at the top of the window.
5. Click the dropdown menu next to Short time and pick either the 12-hour or 24-hour format.

   

6. Click the dropdown menu next to Long time and select your desired format.
7. Click the Apply button at the bottom right of the window to save your changes.
8. Click OK to close the Region window.

Customizing Custom Time Strings

Customizing custom time strings gives you complete control over hour, minute, second, and symbol placement if the preset time options do not match your exact needs. This advanced method lets you type custom formatting characters directly into the Region dialog window.

1. Open the Region dialog window through the Control Panel using the steps outlined in the previous section.
2. Click the Additional settings button located at the bottom of the Formats tab.
3. Click on the Time tab in the Customize Format window that appears.
4. Click inside the Short time text box and type your custom formatting string using valid designators like "hh" for hours, "mm" for minutes, and "tt" for the AM/PM designator.
5. Click Apply to test your custom string and ensure the preview matches your expectations.
6. Click OK to save the custom format and close the window.

If this didn't work

Troubleshooting issues where your taskbar time format fails to update or reverts automatically requires checking a few common settings. You should verify your account region settings match your local time zone or use built-in deployment tools to fix persistent display glitches.