How to Change Date and Time Format in Windows

Customizing the date and time format in Windows can be useful if you want to display time or date in a way that suits you, such as switching from a 12-hour to a 24-hour format or adjusting the date to European format. Here’s a detailed guide on how to modify these settings.

Step 1: Open Date and Time Settings

  1. Click on Start and select Settings (gear icon) or use the keyboard shortcut Win + I.
  2. In the Settings window, go to the Time & Language section.

Step 2: Adjust Date and Time Format

  1. In the Time & Language section, choose the Region tab on the left sidebar.
  2. Select Additional date, time, & regional settings to open a new settings window.

Step 3: Open Format Settings

  1. In the new window, click on Change date and time formats.
  2. A new window will open where you can adjust the date and time formats.

Step 4: Change Time Format

  1. To change the time format, locate the Time format section.
  2. Select your preferred format:
    • For a 24-hour format, choose HH:mm or HH:mm:ss.
    • For a 12-hour format, select hh:mm tt (where tt indicates AM or PM).

Step 5: Change Date Format

  1. To modify the date format, locate the Date format section.
  2. Select your preferred date format:
    • For dd/MM/yyyy, choose the corresponding option.
    • For MM/dd/yyyy, pick the option matching this style.

Step 6: Save Changes

  1. After selecting the desired formats, click OK and close all settings windows.
  2. The changes will take effect immediately, and you can see the updated date and time format on the taskbar.