Windows 11 can use a 24-hour clock, sometimes called military time, so afternoon and evening hours appear as values such as 13:00 or 21:30 instead of 1:00 PM or 9:30 PM.
How to Set 24-Hour Time in Windows 11
How to Change to 24-Hour Time Through Settings
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Select Time & language.
- Choose Language & region.
- Expand Regional format, then select Change formats.
- Choose a Short time option that uses 24-hour time.
- Select the corresponding 24-hour Long time option if you want long-form times to match.
The taskbar clock should update immediately and no longer show AM or PM.
Use Control Panel as an Alternative
Control Panel gives you direct access to the exact Short time and Long time patterns.
- Open Control Panel.
- Select Clock and Region.
- Click Change date, time, or number formats.
- On the Formats tab, set Short time to HH:mm.
- Set Long time to HH:mm:ss if you want long-form times with seconds to use 24-hour time too.
- Click Apply, then OK.
The Windows clock should now use the 00:00 through 23:59 format.
How 24-Hour Time Works
With a 24-hour clock, midnight begins at 00:00, noon is 12:00, 1:00 PM is 13:00, and 11:00 PM is 23:00. Because every hour has a unique number, AM and PM are unnecessary.
What HH:mm Means
The HH portion represents the hour in 24-hour form, while mm represents minutes. Adding :ss produces the long-time version with seconds.
Short Time and Long Time
Short time is the compact format Windows commonly uses in places such as the taskbar. Long time includes seconds and may appear in other parts of Windows or in applications. Changing both settings keeps your 24-hour preference consistent where the system regional format is used.
If an App Still Uses a 12-Hour Clock
Close and reopen the application after changing the Windows setting. Some programs use their own regional or time-format preferences, so an individual app may need to be adjusted separately.
This Does Not Change Your Time Zone
Switching to 24-hour time changes only the display format. If Windows is showing the wrong actual time, open Settings > Time & language > Date & time to check automatic time, the time zone, and related clock settings.
Summary
To set Windows 11 to 24-hour time, open Control Panel > Clock and Region > Change date, time, or number formats. Choose HH:mm for Short time and HH:mm:ss for Long time, then apply the changes.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
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