The clock keeps showing the wrong time
My computer clock resets or is hours off. Why and how do I fix it?
Written by The CommonFixes team · fact checked by CommonFixes review desk
Last updated
Short answer
Either the time zone is wrong, the internet time sync is failing, or the small coin battery on the motherboard that keeps time while the machine is off has died. The quickest thing to try first: turn on automatic time — Settings, Time and language, Date and time. Switch on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically, then press Sync now. Most people are done in about 6 minutes.
Full walkthrough below: 4 steps for Windows and Mac, rated easy.
Sounds like this
- •Websites warn the certificate is not valid yet
- •Time jumps after every restart
- •Wrong date on saved files
Why it happens
Either the time zone is wrong, the internet time sync is failing, or the small coin battery on the motherboard that keeps time while the machine is off has died.
Work through these in order
0% done- 1
Turn on automatic time
Settings, Time and language, Date and time. Switch on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically, then press Sync now.
- 2
Fix the time zone by hand
If the hours are off by a whole number but minutes are right, the time zone is wrong. Pick your city manually and turn off automatic time zone.
- 3
Restart the time service
Open Services, find Windows Time, set Startup type to Automatic and click Start.
- 4
Replace the CMOS battery
If the clock resets to a date years ago every time you unplug the machine, the CR2032 coin cell inside is flat. It costs very little and takes minutes to swap on a desktop.
If none of that worked
On a laptop the coin cell is under the keyboard or motherboard. A repair shop will replace it quickly, and it is worth doing because a wrong clock breaks secure websites and email.
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Who wrote this and how we checked it
The CommonFixes team
Writer and researcher
We are a small group of people who spend our days repairing laptops and desktops for family, friends and small offices. Every guide here starts with a problem someone actually brought to us, and we only write down the steps that put the machine right.
- Everyday repairs
- Windows and Mac
- Plain language
CommonFixes review desk
Technical editor
Before a guide goes live, a second person walks through it on a real machine and checks each instruction against the maker's own support pages. Anything we cannot confirm is removed rather than guessed at.
- Fact checking
- Safety warnings
- Source links
This guide was last updated on 10 August 2026. If a step no longer matches what you see on screen, tell us on the contact page and we will test it again.
A gentle reminder: back up anything you cannot afford to lose before major repairs. If a step ever feels risky, stop and ask a technician. There is no shame in that.