How to Synchronize Clock with an Internet Time Server in Windows 10
Your PC's clock is used to record the time whenever you create or modify files on your PC. You can change the clock's time and time zone.
You can synchronize your PC's clock with an Internet time server. This means that the clock on your PC is updated to match the clock on the time server, which can help ensure that the clock's time on your PC is accurate. Your clock is typically automatically updated once a week and needs to be connected to the Internet for the synchronization to occur.
See also: Configuring Systems for High Accuracy | Microsoft Docs
This tutorial will show you how to manually synchronize your PC's clock with an Internet time server for all users in Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to synchronize the PC's clock.
If your PC is on a domain, you can't synchronize your clock with an Internet time server using Option One. Your clock will automatically synchronize with the domain controller instead. You will still be able to use Option Two to manually sync with your domain controller at any time.
Contents
- Option One: To Synchronize Clock with an Internet Time Server in Internet Time Settings
- Option Two: To Synchronize Clock with an Internet Time Server in Command Prompt
- Option Three: To Synchronize Clock with an Internet Time Server in Settings
1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Date and Time icon.
2 Click/tap on the Internet Time tab, and click/tap on the Change settings button. (see screenshot below)
This will also show you the date and time of when your clock was last successfully synchronized with the name of the Internet server used.
If your PC is on a domain, then you will not have an Internet Time tab. See the note box at the top of the tutorial.
3 If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.
4 Check the Synchronize with an Internet time server box, select a time server, and click/tap on Update now. (see screenshot below)
If you like, you can type a name of an Internet time server from the list at the Microsoft link below to use instead.
A list of the Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP) time servers that are available on the Internet
5 If an error occurred, then click/tap on Update now again to see if it may successfully synchronize now. (see screenshot below)
If you PC's time or date is set incorrectly by too much, it can cause an error when trying to synchronize your clock.
6 When the clock is successfully synchronized, click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 4)
7 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 2)
1 Open an elevated command prompt.
2 In the elevated command prompt, type the command below depending on if you are on a domain or not, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
(Use if not joined to domain)
w32tm /resync
OR
(Use if joined to domain)
net time /domain
If you get a The service has not been started. (0x80070426) error, then it means that you need to start the Windows Time service using the
net start w32timecommand, and try again.
If you get a The computer did not resync because no time data was available error, then you should be able to try again until successful.
3 When finished, you can close the elevated command prompt if you like.
This option is only available starting with Windows 10 build 18290.
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Time & Language icon.
2 Click/tap on Date & time on the left side, and click/tap on the Sync now button under Synchronize your clock on the right side. (see screenshot below)
You will see the last time that time was successfully synced, and the address of your current time server.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
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Synchronize Clock with an Internet Time Server in Windows 10
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New #1
Does not work! There is no "Internet Time" tab on my system (only "Date and Time" and "Additional Clock", but no "Internet Time" as shown above). Does one need to enable that somewhere? How?
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New #2
Hello mmo, :)
Are you joined to a domain? If so, that is why. Computers that are on a domain sync their time with the domain controller.
If you like, you could use the domain command in OPTION TWO.
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New #3
done command line so far so good see how long will last
Thanks for help
But clock still freezes will look for problem just not going right after some timeLast edited by hujtebesuka; 01 Feb 2016 at 03:29.
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New #5
Hey Brink
Just passing by to say that I face "difficulties" with Windows Clock synchronization, as well. Initially, on my main OS (Windows 10 Pro build 10586.71), I had the clock left on its default settings. From time to time I went and tried to sync manually but I had to try twice or thrice for my computer clock to synchronize with the time servers Windows 10 provides by default.
I then went and set it to synchronize every 24 hours instead of the X number of days it takes by default. I changed the number of seconds, you know what I mean. Well...it does not work and I do not know why. Then I went on and added a couple more time servers, following a tutorial from Vista forums. The newly added time servers work, so the clock synchronizes more easily but still it does not do it 24 hours after the last synchronization, as I have set it up to. So, now I synchronize the time manually.
Any ideas what I could try?
Thank you.
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New #7
Hello Joanne, :)
I assume that the tutorial below is the one you used to set the sync interval.
Internet Time Synchronization Update Interval
If your time is always off, then you might also check your BIOS/UEFI time to see if it's set correctly, and if the CMOS battery on the motherboard may be weak or dead.
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New #8
Thank you for the link from that tutorial, Brink, because I haven't saved it. I went and set the SpecialPollInterval to 6 hours now (21600 seconds) in order to test that the synchronization actually works (happens).
My computer's clock is off by 3-4 seconds maximum. I compare it with a radio controlled digital clock I have on my wall. Should I worry about 3-4 seconds, you think? My ASRock Z97 OC Formula is a bit more than a year old but I can get a new CMOS battery, if necessary.
Thank you.
PS: Oh, by the way! From where can I see the last time the clock was synchronized? Can I see this, somewhere?
EDIT
This is what I have found in my Task Scheduler, right now :
What does this mean?
Why was my clock last synchronized on January 28, 2016 when I have set it to sync every 24 hours?Last edited by Joanne; 01 Feb 2016 at 20:25.
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New #9
I wouldn't worry about 3-4 seconds. It should correct itself when it does automatically sync.
Your CMOS battery is fine then. If it was dead or weak, your time will off by a lot more, and will happen every time you turned of the power to the PC.
You can see the last run time of the "Time Synchronization" task in Task Scheduler to see when it was synced last.
EDIT: LOL, you read my mind.
Synchronize Clock with an Internet Time Server in Windows 10
How to Synchronize Clock with an Internet Time Server in Windows 10Published by Shawn BrinkCategory: General Tips
14 Sep 2021
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