Changing Time Settings

Windows provides a couple of different places in which you can adjust your time settings. The traditional place to make those changes is in the Control Panel. You can access the time settings in the Control Panel in this manner:

1. Display the Control Panel
2. Click the Clock, Language, and Region link.
3. Click the Date and Time link. Windows displays the Date and Time dialog box. (See Figure 1.)



Figure 1. The Date and Time dialog box.

4. Adjust your time settings, as desired.
5. Click OK to close the Date and Time dialog box.
6. Close the Control Panel.

If your time-setting needs aren't as extensive as what are provided by the Control Panel, you can use the PC Settings area. How you use this area (and what is offered in it) depends on the version of Windows you are using.

Using Windows 8

When using Windows 8, there are several ways you can display the PC Settings area:

• Keyboard. Press Win+I (to display the Settings pane) and then choose the Change PC Settings link. If you prefer, you can press Win+C to display the Charms bar at the right of the screen, choose the Settings option (to display the Settings pane), and then choose the Change PC Settings link.
• Mouse. Move the mouse to the very upper-right or lower-right corners of the screen. Windows displays the Charms bar, in which you should click the Settings option. Windows then displays the Settings pane where you can finally click the Change PC Settings option.
• Touch. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen to display the Charms bar. At the bottom of the bar choose Settings to display the Settings pane. Finally, touch the Change PC Settings link.

With the PC Settings area displayed, click General at the left side of the screen. At the top of the resulting screen are a couple of controls that affect your time settings. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. PC Settings allows you to change exactly two time settings.

Windows allows you, within PC Settings, to simply choose a time zone and whether the system should be adjusted automatically for daylight saving time. Any changes you make here are implemented immediately.

Using Windows 10

The easiest way to get to the PC Settings area in Windows 10 is to click the Start menu button, then click the small "gear" icon. Windows displays a Settings dialog box in which you should click Time & Language and, finally, Date & Time. (See Figure 3.)

Figure 3. Changing time settings using the PC Settings area.

The PC Settings route allows you to change more time options than what was possible in Windows 8. You can scroll through the Settings dialog box to make any changes desired. When you are done, dismiss the dialog box and your changes are automatically made.

 This tip (12949) applies to Windows 8 and 10.