Time and Language Change Lock Screen Time to 12 or 24 hour Clock Format in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to change the lock screen to display time in a 12 or 24 hour clock format in Windows 11.

The lock screen (aka: welcome screen) is the screen you see at startup and when you lock the computer (Win+L). You will need to dismiss the lock screen to to see the sign-in screen and sign in to Windows.

There are two separate lock screens in Windows 11.

• Current user lock screen = This is the lock screen that displays when the currently signed in user locks the computer.
• Default lock screen = This is the lock screen that displays when no users are currently signed in.

The time on the lock screen displays the system time in a 12 hour clock format by default.

If you like, you can have the lock screen time display in a 24 hour clock format (aka: Military Time).

If you have more than one display, the lock screen will only show on the main display.

EXAMPLE: 12 hour and 24 hour clock format on lock screen







1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Time & language on the left side, and click/tap on Language & region on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Click/tap on Regional format to expand it open, and click/tap on Change formats. (see screenshot below)


4 Perform one of the following actions for the Long time format you want on the lock screen: (see screenshot below)

• Select either the 9:40:07 AM (default) or 09:40:07 AM format to use a 12-hour clock.
• Select either the 9:40:07 or 09:40:07 format to use a 24-hour clock.

5 Close Settings.

6 Restart the computer to apply.





1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Region icon.

2 Perform one of the following actions for the Long time format you want on the lock screen: (see screenshot below step 3)

• Select either the h:mm:ss tt (default) or hh:mm:ss tt format to use a 12-hour clock.
• Select either the H:mm:ss or HH:mm:ss format to use a 24-hour clock.

3 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)


4 Close the Control Panel.

5 Restart the computer to apply.

You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.

1 Do Option One or Option Two to set your lock screen time to the 12 hour or 24 hour clock format you want that will get applied to the default lock screen below.

2 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Region icon.

3 Click/tap on the Administrative tab, and click/tap on Copy settings. (see screenshot below)


4 Check the Welcome screen and system accounts box, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)


5 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)


6 Close the Control Panel.

7 Restart the computer to apply.


That's it,
Shawn Brink