Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsTo switch Windows between 12-hour and 24-hour time, press Win + R, enter intl.cpl, open Formats, then change Short time and Long time. This changes how the clock is displayed—not the actual time or time zone.
Change Windows to 12-hour or 24-hour time
The classic Region dialog is the most direct method on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft documents these controls for changing time-format display in its 12-hour and 24-hour clock guidance.
- Press Windows key + R to open Run.
- Type
intl.cpl, then press Enter. - Open the Formats tab.
- Under Short time, choose the compact format you want.
- Under Long time, choose the detailed format you want.
- Select Apply, then OK.
- Check the taskbar clock. It normally follows the Windows short-time format.
For a 24-hour clock, Microsoft’s documented custom examples are HH:mm for short time and HH:mm:ss for long time. For a 12-hour clock, the examples are h:mm:tt and h:mm:ss:tt.
| Desired display | Short time | Long time |
|---|---|---|
| 24-hour | HH:mm |
HH:mm:ss |
| 12-hour | h:mm:tt |
h:mm:ss:tt |
A 12-hour clock may appear as 9:05 AM, while a 24-hour clock may appear as 09:05 or 21:05, depending on the selected regional pattern and whether a leading zero is included.
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Short time versus Long time
- Short time is the compact pattern normally used by the taskbar clock and other brief displays.
- Long time is the more detailed pattern and can include seconds for applications that use it.
Changing Long time alone does not guarantee that seconds will appear on the taskbar; Windows has a separate system-tray seconds setting.
Use Windows 11 Settings for a regional preset
Windows 11 offers a broader route at Settings > Time & language > Language & region. Under Regional format, select a country or regional preset. Microsoft explains this approach in its regional-settings guidance.
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A preset can change default date order, time conventions, decimal separators, digit grouping, and currency symbols along with the clock. Use it when you want Windows to follow another country’s conventions. If you want to change only the clock, use intl.cpl and edit Short time and Long time individually.
Reach individual controls from Settings
- Open Settings.
- Select Time & language, then Language & region.
- Scroll to Related settings.
- Open the additional or administrative regional-language settings link.
- In the classic Region dialog, open Formats and edit the time fields.
Labels can vary slightly by Windows 11 release and display language, so Win + R → intl.cpl remains the dependable shortcut.
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Change the format in Windows 10
In Windows 10, open Settings > Time & language > Region, choose the additional date, time, and regional settings, then select Change date, time, or number formats to open the Formats tab. The same intl.cpl shortcut works and exposes Short time and Long time directly.
Show seconds on the Windows 11 taskbar clock
Seconds are controlled separately from the Long time pattern. On current Windows 11 documentation, open Settings > Time & language > Date & time and enable Show seconds in system tray clock (uses more power). Microsoft notes that seconds are normally hidden from the system-tray clock; the option carries a power-use warning.
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The Date & time page also contains automatic-time, manual-time, time-zone, daylight-saving, and clock-visibility controls. Those settings do not select 12-hour or 24-hour formatting. See Microsoft’s Windows time and date settings for the current layout.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If the taskbar still shows the old format
- Reopen
intl.cpland confirm that Short time, not only Long time, has the desired value. - Select Apply before closing the Region dialog.
- Close and reopen the affected application.
- If the taskbar has not refreshed, sign out of Windows and sign back in.
- Verify the setting again after signing in.
- On a work- or school-managed PC, check whether organizational policy is preventing the change.
- If your goal is seconds, use the separate system-tray seconds option instead of relying on Long time.
Some programs use their own locale or display preferences. Outlook generally uses the computer’s country and regional settings, but applications, websites, spreadsheets, databases, terminals, and remote systems can override Windows defaults. Microsoft notes that affected applications may need to be reopened after regional settings change.
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Format, clock value, and time zone are different
| Setting | What it changes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Time format | How the same time is written | 1:45 PM → 13:45 |
| Time zone | Which local offset is used | 1:45 PM → 10:45 AM after moving three hours west |
| Clock value or synchronization | The underlying system time | Manual or automatic correction of the clock |
| Seconds visibility | Whether seconds are shown in the system tray | 13:45 → 13:45:27 when enabled |
Use Settings > Time & language > Date & time for the clock value, time zone, daylight-saving behavior, and synchronization. Use the Region dialog for display format.
Related settings you should not change by mistake
Changing keyboard language or input layout is not necessary for changing the clock. Windows treats keyboard settings and regional formatting as separate controls; Microsoft documents keyboard-layout changes separately at Change your keyboard layout.
If only one application displays a different pattern, look for that application’s date, time, locale, or document-format preference before changing Windows globally.
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