How to Change the Date and Time Format in Windows 11 (12/24-Hour, Date Order, Separators)

Q: My 12/24-hour change didn't stick.

Set it in Change formats (Fix 2) under Short time, or in the Region > Additional settings > Time tab (Fix 3) — the taskbar follows the short-time pattern.

Q: Where do the format letters come from?

dd=day, MMM=short month name, MM=month number, yyyy=4-digit year, HH=24-hour, h+tt=12-hour with AM/PM.

Published ✓ Verified ⏱️ 2 min read May 23, 2025 · by Ryan Bennett

You want the Windows 11 clock and dates shown a different way — 24-hour time, a different date order like dd/MM/yyyy, or a dash instead of a slash.

Why: date and time display follow your regional format, not your time zone. Change the format and the taskbar clock, File Explorer, and most apps follow.

Fix 1: Pick a regional format in Settings

Open Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
Under Regional format, choose the country/region whose conventions you want (this sets the default date, time, number, and currency styles).
The taskbar clock and dates update to match that region.

Fix 2: Customize short/long date and time

If no region matches exactly, set each field yourself:

Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
Under Regional format, click Change formats.
Set Short date, Long date, Short time, and Long time from the dropdowns. For a 12-hour clock, pick a Short time that ends in AM/PM (e.g. h:mm tt); for 24-hour, pick one like HH:mm.

Fix 3: Use the classic Region panel for full control

For custom orders or separators (for example yyyy-MM-dd, or replacing / with -):

Press Win + R, type intl.cpl, press Enter to open the Region panel.
On the Formats tab, click Additional settings.
On the Date tab, type your own pattern in Short date, e.g. dd-MMM-yyyy gives 22-May-2025. Change the separator by editing the slashes directly.
On the Time tab, edit the Short time / Long time patterns (use HH for 24-hour, h with tt for 12-hour).
Click Apply > OK.

FAQ

Does this change my time zone? No — format only changes how the date and time are displayed. Time zone is set separately under Date & time.

My 12/24-hour change didn’t stick. Set it in Change formats (Fix 2) under Short time, or in the Region > Additional settings > Time tab (Fix 3) — the taskbar follows the short-time pattern.

Where do the format letters come from? dd=day, MMM=short month name, MM=month number, yyyy=4-digit year, HH=24-hour, h+tt=12-hour with AM/PM.

Sources: Microsoft Support — Set time, date, and time zone settings in Windows