4 Ways to Synchronize Windows 10 Time With Microsoft Server

The benefits of your Windows computer clock go far beyond simply telling the time. It must be accurate at all times, otherwise some applications and programs may not work properly. To ensure that your computer clock is always accurate, Windows has a dedicated “time service” that synchronizes the time on your PC with Microsoft’s Internet server. Although this synchronization process takes place automatically, we will show you how to do it manually and correct system time synchronization issues.

If your computer time is incorrect, it is probably not synchronized with the Windows server or Microsoft Time. In this article, we will show you how to synchronize the time on your Windows PC with the Microsoft server. In addition, how to solve certain time synchronization problems. Let’s go.

From Windows settings

One of the easiest ways to synchronize the time from the Windows PC to the Microsoft server is to manually synchronize it from the Windows Settings menu. Follow the steps below to do so.

Step 1: Press the Windows + I key on the keyboard simultaneously to launch the Windows Settings menu.

2nd step: Select “Time and language”.

Step 3: In the “Date and time” section, go to the “Synchronize your clock” subsection and press the “Synchronize now” button.

This will immediately synchronize your computer clock with the Microsoft time server (usually takes 2 to 5 seconds).

Note: According to Microsoft, it is impossible to guarantee the accuracy of the time on computers that have intermittent or nonexistent network connections. Therefore, you must have an active Internet connection to effectively synchronize your computer’s time with Microsoft Time Server.

It is also important to note that Windows automatically synchronizes the time on your PC with the Microsoft server daily. In case you need to synchronize the time manually, perhaps because your computer’s time setting is incorrect, you can use the Synchronize Now button in step 3 above.

Restart Windows Time Service

Restarting Windows Time Service from Windows Service Manager is another effective way to synchronize your PC clock with the Windows server. For context, the Windows time server helps Windows users maintain the most accurate time on their devices by actively synchronizing date and time information with the Microsoft time server.

If your computer is experiencing improper synchronization issues or is still out of sync with the official Microsoft server, there may be a problem with Windows Time Service and restarting it may help. Here’s how.

Step 1: Simultaneously press the Windows key + the R key on your keyboard to open the Run command dialog box.

2nd step: Type services.msc in the box provided and press the OK button.

This will launch Windows Service Manager in a new window. Scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the Windows Time services on the page that are listed alphabetically so you shouldn’t have a problem locating it.

Then activate this service or confirm that it is activated and functioning properly. Because, as Windows warns, date and time synchronization will not be available if the Windows time service is stopped or disabled.

Step 3: Right-click the Windows Time service and select Start.

If the Windows time service has been activated and is running but the time on your PC is still incorrect or is not synchronized with the Microsoft time server, you must restart the service. Right-click Windows Time and select Restart.

Step 4: Restart your computer.

On restart, you also want to make sure that your device is connected to an active Internet connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable).

Re-register the Windows Time DLL file

Some applications and services on Windows use Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files to efficiently perform their functions and activities. The DLL file responsible for the Windows Time service (W32Time) is the w32time.dll file. If this file disappears, is deleted, or is corrupted, you may have problems synchronizing the time on your computer with the Windows server.

Re-registering w32time.dll would help ensure that your PC is regularly synchronized. Here’s how to save it on your PC.

Step 1: Simultaneously press the Windows + X key on your keyboard to launch the Windows quick access menu.

2nd step: Select ‘Command Prompt (Admin)’.

Step 3: Type the command below in the command prompt console and press the Enter button.

regsvr32 w32time.dll

In less than a minute, you should see a notification that the w32time.dll file has been successfully registered on your PC.

Step 4: Restart your computer and check if your PC time is now accurate and synchronizes correctly with the Microsoft server.

Note: Make sure your computer is connected to an active Internet connection.

Replace CMOS battery

If you are sure that everything is fine with Windows Time Services and your computer’s synchronization setting, but the time and date remain inaccurate or often out of sync, especially after a system restart, there are strong chances that your PC’s Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) battery has failed.

The CMOS chip is located on the motherboard. It keeps your PC’s time and date, as well as other settings, up to date every time you turn off your computer. For this, the CMOS chip has its dedicated battery. If this battery is defective or damaged, the time and date of your PC will always be spoiled, as will its synchronization with the Microsoft server.

Replacing the CMOS battery requires some technical know-how and expertise. This is why we recommend that you entrust your PC to a qualified technician or to the official repair center of the manufacturer.

Stay in sync

An incorrect system time on your PC can cause network and connectivity issues, file management issues, and difficulty using certain applications and programs. The Microsoft time server is always accurate, so you need to make sure your PC is synchronized with it.