How to change time format in windows 11?

To switch between 12-hour and 24-hour format:

1. Open Settings
   Press Windows + I to open the Settings.
2. Go to Time & Language
   In the sidebar, click Time & language.
3. Select Date & time
   Then click Date & time.
4. Scroll down and click Language & region
   (Yes, it’s a bit hidden here!)
5. Under Region, click “Regional format” → “Change formats”
   You’ll see a list of formats.
6. Change the Time Format
   • Under Short time and Long time, select the format you want:
     • h:mm tt (example: 3:45 PM) → 12-hour format
     • HH:mm (example: 15:45) → 24-hour format

Alternatively (quicker way):

• Press Windows + R, type control, and open Control Panel.
• Go to Clock and Region → Region.
• Click Additional settings → Time tab.
• Set the time format manually there.

Recommended Time and Date Formats for Windows 11

Popular Settings for Windows 11 Users

• Time (casual): h:mm tt → Example: 3:45 PM
• Time (tech/business): HH:mm → Example: 15:45
• Date (casual): MMMM d, yyyy → Example: April 28, 2025
• Date (tech/business): yyyy-MM-dd → Example: 2025-04-28

My Personal Recommendation (if you want the “smart” setup):

• Short Time: HH:mm
• Long Time: HH:mm:ss
• Short Date: yyyy-MM-dd
• Long Date: dddd, MMMM d, yyyy

Example:

Monday, April 28, 2025 — 15:45:32

It looks clean, professional, easy to sort files by date, and there’s no AM/PM confusion!

Windows 11 won’t let me change the hour format to 12 hours: What to do?

Main Reasons Why You Can’t Switch to 12-Hour Format

1. Region settings are wrong
   • Some regions (like many European countries) default to 24-hour time, and lock the formats to match.
   • Solution: Change your region to “United States” or another region that defaults to 12-hour time.
2. Format settings are stuck
   • Even if you change time format, the system might still use the old cached settings.
   • Solution: Manually change both “Short time” and “Long time” formats.
3. Group Policy or Company Policy (Work PC)
   • If it’s a work laptop, your organization might lock the time format.
   • Solution: You may need admin rights to change it, or talk to IT.

Step-by-Step Fix:

1. Change the Region

• Open Settings (Windows + I) → Time & language → Language & region.
• Under Country or region, select United States (or any English-speaking country that uses AM/PM).

2. Manually Set 12-Hour Formats

• Still in Settings → Time & language → Language & region → click Change formats.
• Set:
  • Short time = h:mm tt
  • Long time = h:mm:ss tt
• tt is what shows AM/PM.

3. Restart

• After applying the settings, restart your computer.
  (Some versions of Windows need a reboot to apply clock changes.)

Quick Check

• Open the clock on your taskbar.
• If it shows 3:45 PM, it worked.
• If it still shows 15:45, something is blocking the settings (like admin lock).

FAQs

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