How to Show Shortened Time and Date on Your Windows 11 Taskbar

What is Shortened Time and Date?

A shorter time and date means your computer displays a simpler, more compact version of the clock and calendar on your taskbar. This helps free up a little screen real estate and contributes to a tidier look.

Who Can Use This?

This feature is available in Windows 11 build 22635.3790 and newer. While it’s hidden by default, you can enable it using a free tool called ViVeTool.

How to Enable Shortened Time and Date Step-by-Step

Step 1Download and Install ViVeTool

First, you’ll need to download and install ViVeTool. Think of it as a special key that unlocks hidden Windows features. You can find out how to set it up here:

How to install and use ViVeTool on Windows 11

Step 2Turn On the Shortened Time Feature

You can turn on the shortened time and date feature in Windows 11 by using a special command in Command Prompt.

⊞ Click Start, type cmd, then 🖱️ right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator.”

Now, type the following command and press Enter:

vivetool /enable /id:48525682

This command tells Windows to switch to the short time and date format.

Step 3Change Taskbar Settings

Changing 🖥️ your taskbar settings in Windows 11 lets you pick how the time and date appear.

⊞ Click Start > Settings (or press ⊞ Win+I).

Select “Personalization” from the left-hand menu.

Click on the “Taskbar” section on the right side.

Then:

Find and click “Taskbar behaviors” to expand that section.

Look for the option labeled “Show time and date in the 🔔 System tray.”

Check or uncheck “Show abbreviated time and date” to turn the shorter format on or off.

Once you’re finished, you can close ⚙️ the Settings window.

Alternative Way: Use Windows Registry (For Advanced Users)

For those comfortable with it, you can change the Windows 11 taskbar time format using the Windows Registry.

First, open the Registry Editor as an administrator. You’ll need administrator privileges for this step.

Press ⊞ Win+R, type regedit, and then press Enter.

If prompted, click ‘Yes’ to allow it to make changes.

Navigate to the following folder path:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

In the right-hand panel, look for a setting called `ShowShortenedDateTime`. If it’s already there, double-click it to open.

If it doesn’t exist, right-click in the empty space on the right, select ‘New’ > ‘DWORD (32-bit) Value’, and then name it `ShowShortenedDateTime`.

Now, set the value for `ShowShortenedDateTime`:

• 1 = Show shortened time and date
• 0 = Show normal time and date

Click ‘OK’, close the Registry Editor, and then 🔄 restart your computer to see 🖥️ your taskbar update.

Summary

Windows 11 lets you show a shorter time and date on 🖥️ your taskbar using a hidden feature.