Fix: Windows Clock Set To The Wrong Time

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The clock on your Windows Clock Set To The Wrong Time for a number of reasons. In fact, it’s one of the most common problems Windows users have. Even if you set the time, it may change on its own after a couple of restarts.

Do not worry if your computer shows the wrong time, if the time is off by a few minutes, or if the date and time keep changing. Here are the best ways to fix the wrong time on your Windows 10 computer’s clock.

Solved: Windows Clock Set To The Wrong Time

Sync computer manually

• Open” Control Panel” (if you can’t find it, go to the Search Bar and enter “Control Panel”)
• Choose Clock and Region
• Select Date and Time
• Then click on “Internet Time” in the Date and Time Window
• Click “Change settings…”
• Check the “Synchronize with an internet time server” check box is selected.
• In the Server drop-down menu select “time.nist.gov”
• Click “Update now” and “Ok”

A Dead CMOS Battery

The Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) chip gets power from the CMOS battery, which is on the motherboard of your computer. This chip stores data about how the system is set up, such as the date and time. The CMOS battery makes sure that the chip can keep this information even when your computer is off and not connected to a power source.

If this battery dies, the chip will start to lose data. One sign is that your Windows computer can’t keep track of the correct time and date. When you restart your computer, the clock will always be set to a wrong date and time, like January 1 at midnight.

An Incorrect Time Zone Setting

To change your time zone in Windows 10, right-click the system clock in the System Tray at the bottom right of the screen and choose Adjust date/time. You can also go to Settings > Language & Time > Date & Time. On Windows 11, these options look a little bit different, but you still use the same steps to get to them.

Check the information in the Time zone box to see if it’s right. If not, use the drop-down menu to choose the right time zone. If the drop-down box is grayed out, you may need to turn off the Set time zone automatically slider.

Adjust the Clock in Your BIOS/UEFI

Most of the time, Windows is to blame when a computer’s clock is wrong. But if none of those solutions worked, it’s possible that the clock on your motherboard’s BIOS or UEFI is wrong, which can make the OS think something is wrong. Since this is your motherboard’s system time, it is more accurate than the clock your OS uses.

There is no one place to find the system time because the exact location of this option depends on your machine. Find out how to get into your computer’s UEFI or BIOS. Once you’re in, look for a Time or Clock entry where you can check if the time is wrong and fix it if it is. If you can’t find it, look in the manual for your motherboard or Google your computer’s name plus “BIOS clock setting” to find the right place.

A Virus Is Disturbing the Time

Malware can mess up your device’s functions and make the date, time, or time zone wrong. This could be the problem if the first two tips didn’t work. If so, you should probably do a virus scan on your computer. You can use “Windows Defender” or software like “Avast Antivirus” that does the same thing.

• Go to the “Start” menu.
• Type “Windows Security” in the “Search” bar.
• Select “Virus and Threat Protection.”
• Tick the switches under “Real–Time Protection” and “Cloud-delivered Protection” to turn them on.

Scan your computer for malware

• Press the Windows key, type virus, and select Virus & threat protection.
• Click Scan options.
• Finally, select the Full Scan option and click Scan now

FAQ

How do I recalibrate my Windows clock?

1. Right-click on the time at the bottom right of the screen and select Adjust Date/Time. (+)
2. A window will open. On the left side of the window select the Date & time tab. …
3. Enter the time and press Change. (+)

Why does my computer clock keep resetting to the wrong time?

The clock in your Windows computer can be configured to sync with an Internet time server, which can be useful as it ensures your clock stays accurate. In cases where your date or time keeps changing from what you’ve previously set it to, it is likely that your computer is syncing with a time server.