This tutorial will show you how to change the Internet time server (NTP server) used to synchronize your system clock in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Time is a measure in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future, and also the measure of durations of events and the intervals between them.
Your PC's system clock is used to record the time whenever you create or modify files on your PC.
Your clock is typically automatically synced once a week and needs to be connected to the Internet for the synchronization to occur.
Windows uses the time.windows.com time server by default, but you change and use any time server you want instead.
List of time servers:
Reference:
How the Windows Time Service Works
Learn more about: How the Windows Time Service Works
learn.microsoft.com
You must be signed in as an administrator to change the time server.
Contents
- Option One: Change Internet Time Server in Settings
- Option Two: Change Internet Time Server in Control Panel
- Option Three: Change Internet Time Server using Registry Editor
This option is currently only available in the Windows 11 Beta, Dev, Canary, and Release Preview Insider channels.
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on Time & language on the left side, and click/tap on Date & time on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 Under Additional settings, click/tap on the Sync now to expand it open. (see screenshot below step 4)
4 Click/tap on the Change button to "Change the time server". (see screenshot below)
5 Enter the time server you want to use, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
6 You can now close Settings if you like.
1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Date and Time icon.
2 You can close the Control Panel if you like.
3 Click/tap on the Internet Time tab, and click/tap on the Change settings button. (see screenshot below)
4 Enter or select the time server you want to use, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
It is required to have the Synchronize with an Internet time server box checked to change the time server.
5 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
1 Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe).
2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below step 3)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DateTime\Servers
3 In the right pane of the Servers key, make note of the string value number (ex: "1") for the time server (ex: "time.windows.com") you want to use. (see screenshot below)
If a timer server you want to use is not listed here, then you can manually add the time server.
4 In the right pane of the Servers key, double click/tap on the (Default) string value to modify it. (see screenshot below)
5 Type the string value number (ex: "1") for the time server (ex: "time.windows.com") you want to use from step 3, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
6 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below step 7)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\w32time\Parameters
7 In the right pane of the Parameters key, double click/tap on the NtpServer string value to modify it. (see screenshot below)
8 Change the time server (ex: "time.windows.com,0x9") value with the time server (ex: "time.windows.com") you want to use from step 2 without changing the end of the value (ex: "time.windows.com,0x9"), and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
9 You can now close Registry Editor.
10 Either stop and start the Windows Time service OR restart the computer to apply.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
