How often should clock synchronize ?

Davec777 · Sep 2, 2021

I noticed that my clock did not seem to be synchronizing with time.windows.com

(If I hit “sync now” it updates fine.)

I found on the internet that this reg entry should give the time in seconds for sync interval:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient

SpecialPollInterval 32768

32768 seconds is about 9 hours – I have waited several days and there was no update.

Could someone else check their last clock update and let me know.

(Right click the time/date and select “adjust date and time” and it will show when the clock was last synchronized.)

I am running Win11 ver 21H2 (OS build 22000.176)

poskyc · Sep 2, 2021

It seems that MS's ntp server got some trouble today ,try other avaiable ntp server instead.

swarfega · Sep 3, 2021

I would use the Nist servers, they have some all over the world.

Davec777 · Sep 3, 2021

Well, if I do "sync now" it updates the time so I guess the Windows server must be working OK.
Secondly, I cannot see in Windows 11 how to change the time server.

wpcoe · Sep 3, 2021

Davec777 said:
Secondly, I cannot see in Windows 11 how to change the time server.

~~Yeah, I can't find it either. I'm in the Dev channel version, if that matters (OS Build 22449.1000).~~

Found it!

- Go to Time & Language > Date & time (I just typed "time" into Search)
- Scroll down to Additional Clocks and click on the icon at the end of that line.
- In the box that pops up, click on the Internet Time tab.
- Click on Change settings...
- Choose time.nist.gov and click OK. (You can update time before clicking OK, if you want.)

Not exactly an intuitive location for changing the time server ... under "Additional Clocks"?

Davec777 · Sep 3, 2021

Thanks for that wpcoe - they certainly hid that well !

So it seems there is a bug in the "Last successful time sync" shown when right clicking date/time shown at bottom right.
Mine is showing 1 Sep 21 4:47pm
But when I go to "Internet Time" as you describe above it shows "The clock was successfully synchronized with time.windows.com on 3 Sept 21 at 6:47pm"

I will send feedback to Microsoft.

TairikuOkami · Sep 4, 2021

30 years and MS still can not get this "feature" working properly. Luckily there more reliable options like Update Time v1.3

johnlgalt · Sep 4, 2021

I just set mine to nist.gov or pool.ntp.org, which I read before auto selects one of their pool members.

nist.gov has worked well for a long time, so I've pretty much started using it as the default. Friends never let friends use windows for time.

wpcoe · Sep 4, 2021

johnlgalt said:
I just set mine to nist.gov or pool.ntp.org, which I read before auto selects one of their pool members.

nist.gov has worked well for a long time, so I've pretty much started using it as the default. Friends never let friends use windows for time.

How did you get it to use ntp.org? When I get to the tab where I can select time servers it only offers windows.com and nist.gov.

Almighty1 · Sep 4, 2021

By default, I remember reading that Windows will only sync the time every 7 days, I have mines sync every 60 minutes or 3600 seconds using Dimension4 - Thinking Man Software - Dimension 4 v5.3.

In Windows XP, I used SocketWatch which sometimes fails syncing with Windows 7 & 10.

How often should clock synchronize ?

Active member

My Computer

New member

My Computer

sʍɐɹɟǝƃɐ

My Computers

Active member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

Active member

My Computer

Microsoft 365 Basic

My Computer

Antidisestablishmentarianist

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

Similar threads