How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt

This wikiHow teaches you how to change your time and date on a computer running the Windows operating system using the Command Prompt app. If you don't have administrator access on your computer, you won't be able to change the time and...
Part 1 of 2:

Disabling Automatic Time and Date

  1. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 1How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 1
    Understand why this is necessary. While you can change your computer's time and date with Command Prompt while your computer's automatic time and date is active, your computer will eventually reset its time and date to match the current one.
    1. In some cases, your computer will reset the time and date as soon as you close Command Prompt.
  2. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 2How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 2
    Open Start
    How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 3How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 3
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  3. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 4How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 4
    Open Settings
    How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 5How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 5
    . Click the gear-shaped icon in the lower-left corner of the Start window. This will prompt the Settings window to appear.
  4. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 6How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 6
    Click Time & Language. This option is in the middle of the Settings window.
  5. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 7How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 7
    Click Date & time. It's a tab in the upper-left side of the window.
  6. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 8How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 8
    Click the colored "Set time automatically" switch
    How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 9How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 9
    . The switch will turn grey
    How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 10How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 10
    , indicating that Windows will no longer attempt to reset the time and date automatically. At this point, you're free to change your computer's time and date in Command Prompt.
Part 2 of 2:

Changing the Time and Date

  1. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 11How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 11
    Open Start
    How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 12How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 12
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen. The Start menu will pop up.
  2. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 13How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 13
    Search for Command Prompt. Type in command prompt, then wait for Command Prompt to appear at the top of the Start menu.
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    Right-click
    How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 15How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 15
    Command Prompt. It's at the top of the Start menu. A drop-down menu will appear.
    1. If your mouse doesn't have a right-click button, click the right side of the mouse, or use two fingers to click the mouse.
    2. If your computer uses a trackpad instead of a mouse, use two fingers to tap the trackpad or press the bottom-right side of the trackpad.
  4. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 16How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 16
    Click Run as administrator. This option is in the drop-down menu.
    1. You can't change your computer's time and date without administrator privileges.
  5. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 17How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 17
    Click Yes when prompted. Doing so confirms that you want to open Command Prompt; you should see the Command Prompt window appear at this point.
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    Change the time. The command for changing time in Command Prompt is time HH:MM:SS AM/PM where "HH:MM:SS" refers to the hour, minute, and second, and "AM/PM" refers to whether it's morning or afternoon. To change your computer's time, type in this command with your preferred time indicated, then press Enter.
    1. For example, typing in time 08:35:00 AM and pressing Enter would change your computer's time to 8:35 AM.
    2. To change the time to 10:00 PM, you would type in time 10:00:00 PM and press Enter.
    3. If you're comfortable with 24-hour time, you can type in your preferred time (e.g., 14:00:00 for 2:00 PM) and leave off the "AM" or "PM" tag.
  7. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 19How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 19
    Change the date. The date format you'll use in Command Prompt depends on your country, but Command Prompt will tell you which format to use: type in date and press Enter, then type in the date you want to use in whichever format is specified by Command Prompt (e.g., "mm-dd-yyyy" in the United States) and press Enter.
    1. To change a United States computer's date to September 25th, 2018, you would type in date and press Enter, then type in 09-25-2018 and press Enter.
    2. To adjust the date to read October 12th, 2018 on a European computer, you would type in date and press Enter, then enter either 12-10-2018 or 2018-10-12 depending on your location.
  8. How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 20How to Change the Computer Time and Date Using the Command Prompt Picture 20
    Review your computer's time and date. In the bottom-right corner of the screen, you should see both your updated time and your updated date reflected in your region's format.
    1. If you use 24-hour time, you won't see "AM" or "PM" listed here.
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