How to Enable Shortened Time on Windows 11 Taskbar
Shortened time on the Windows 11 taskbar shrinks your clock to save screen space by hiding the seconds and date. This compact display appears in Windows 11 Beta Channel build 22635.3790 and newer versions.
Because this display option stays hidden by default, you need a free command-line utility called ViveTool to turn it on.
Enable the shortened time and date by using ViveTool with the command vivetool /enable /id:48525682. Afterward, navigate to Settings Personalization Taskbar Taskbar behaviors, expand “Show time and date,” and check “Show abbreviated time and date.” Alternatively, modify the ShowShortenedDateTime value in the Windows Registry.
Enable or Disable Shortened Time and Date on the Taskbar in Windows
Turning on the Windows 11 shortened time taskbar feature condenses the clock and calendar in your system tray to save space. You can use a free tool called ViveTool to switch this compact display on or off whenever you want. Make sure you download and set up ViveTool on your PC before you begin the steps below.
Unlock Hidden Features in Windows 11 with ViVeTool
Once ViveTool is downloaded, run the following command to enable the hidden feature that displays a shortened version of the date and time:
vivetool /enable /id:48525682
Head to Settings Personalization Taskbar to configure the display after running the command.
Select the Taskbar behaviors tile in the Taskbar settings pane to expand it.
Windows 11's System tray settings allow showing an abbreviated time and date. To do this, first expand the "Show time and date in the System tray" tile. Then, check or uncheck the box next to "Show abbreviated time and date" to turn this feature on or off.
Close the Settings app when finished.
Show Shortened Time and Date on Taskbar Using Windows Registry
Using the Windows Registry Editor provides another way to set up the Windows 11 shortened time taskbar if you prefer not to use command-line tools. This method involves creating and changing a specific value in the system database to shrink the clock display. Be careful while you work in the registry, because wrong changes can cause system problems.
First, open the Windows Registry Editor with administrator privileges. [Requires Admin Privileges]
Then, navigate to the following registry key.
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Double-click the DWORD (a 32-bit numerical value) named ShowShortenedDateTime in the right pane.
Type `1` to show the shortened time and date on your taskbar. Type `0` to revert to the standard time and date format.
The Windows Registry editor permits creating a new setting named "ShowShortenedDateTime" for your Windows 11 taskbar. Right-click an empty space in the editor, select 'New' > 'DWORD (32-bit) Value', and name it "ShowShortenedDateTime". Set the value data to `1` to turn on the shortened date and time display, or `0` to turn the shortened date and time display off.
Restarting the computer might be necessary for the changes to take effect.
That completes the process.
Summary
Setting up the Windows 11 shortened time taskbar gives you a cleaner system tray by shrinking the clock and date display. You can turn this feature on using the ViveTool command vivetool /enable /id:48525682 or by changing values in the Windows Registry Editor. Both options let you easily switch back to the normal clock format whenever you want.
Activating this hidden feature takes only a quick command in ViveTool or a manual tweak in the Windows Registry Editor using vivetool /enable /id:48525682.
The Windows Registry Editor also handles changing the shortened time and date display on the taskbar. Change the ShowShortenedDateTime value in the registry path HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.
Whether utilizing ViveTool or the Windows Registry, this guide provides the necessary steps to customize the time and date display on your Windows 11 taskbar.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
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