How to Fix Windows Time Synchronization Failure

Your Windows PC automatically synchronizes the time with a time server to always show you the correct time of day. If your PC fails to synchronize the time, you'll receive a message that says, "An error occurred while Windows was synchronizing with the time server." This tutorial explains how to fix the Windows time synchronization failure on your PC.

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1. Enable “Set time automatically”

Checking whether you have enabled the “Set time automatically” option on your computer is the first thing you should do if you are experiencing time synchronization failure.

1. Click on Windows + I To open a menu Settings on your computer.
2. Click the tab Time and Language on the left sidebar.
   
3. Click Section Date and time in the right sidebar.
   
4. Toggle option “Automatically set time” in the right sidebar.
   
5. In the right sidebar, make sure the correct time zone is selected in the drop-down menu. time zoneAlternatively, you can switch to the option “Set time zone automatically.”
   

2. Check the Windows Time service.

Automatically setting the Windows Time service often fixes the issue. Follow these steps to do so.

1. Click Windows + R To open Run, type services.msc In the search box to open a window “Services”.
   
2. Locate a service “Windows Time” In the right sidebar, double-click it to open it. Properties window.
   
3. Under the tab "general" Click on the drop-down menu. "Startup Type" and select "automatic". Click “Apply -> OK”.
   
4. Verify “Service Status” To see if it is running. If not, click the button. "Start" , Then “Apply -> OK”.
   

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3. Enable time synchronization feature

1. Click on Windows + CHEAP To open Run And paste Taskschd.msc In the search box, click the button. "OK" To open Task scheduler.
   
2. Double click Task Scheduler Library To expand it, then go to “Microsoft → Windows”.
   
3. Double click on a folder Time Synchronization in the left sidebar.
   
4. Right click on SynchronizeTime , then tap "Empowerment".
   
5. close Task scheduler Restart your computer. Check if the time synchronization failure issue is resolved.

4. Use the command prompt to force time synchronization.

If the problem persists, use the command prompt to re-register the time service, and then re-synchronize the time.

1. Click on Windows + X and turn on “Terminal (Admin)”.
   
2. Run the following commands in order.

   net stop w32time w32tm /unregister w32tm /register net start w32time w32tm /resync

   

3. Quit Windows PowerShell And see if the time synchronization failure issue has gone away.

Good to know: The difference between Command Prompt and PowerShell.

5. Update Internet time settings

Another thing you may want to try is updating your computer's Internet time options.

1. Open a window Run on your computer.
2. Type "control Board" In the search box, click the button. "OK" to open the Control Panel.
   
3. Locate "The clock and the area."
   
4. Click on an option Set time and date to open a window Date and time.
   
5. within the section Internet time , click the . button “Change settings.” It will open a window. Internet time settings.
   
6. Select the option Synchronize with a private Internet time server and click the . button “Update now”You will receive a message stating that the watch has been successfully synced. Follow this by tapping "OK".
   

6. Select a different time server.

Time.windows.com It is the default time server on your Windows PC, but sometimes, selecting a different time server can fix synchronization issues.

1. Open a window Internet time settings As shown above.
2. Locate time.nist.gov From the dropdown menu next to "The servant". Click Update now. Your watch will be synchronized with the new server. Click "OK".
   

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7. Add more time servers

If nothing has worked for you so far, you can try adding a new time server and see if that takes care of things.

1. Open Run and type regedit In the search box, then click the button. "OK" to open the Registry Editor.
   
2. Paste the following line into the address bar: Registry Editor And press Enter.

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DateTime\Servers

   

3. Right click anywhere on the white field and go to “New → String Value”.
   
4. Right-click on the newly created string and select "amendment".
   
5. Add time.google.com To the field Value statements and click the . button "OK".
6. Follow the steps above in Update Internet time settings To specify the newly added time server.

8. Use Registry Editor to fix the problem.

You can modify the registry settings to make Windows update the time every six hours (21600 seconds) and see if this resolves the issue.

1. Go to Registry Editor Paste the following line into the address bar and press Enter.

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClie

   

2. Double-click a key “SpecialPollInterval” , Then select "decimal" Set the value data to 21600. tap on "OK".
   
3. close Registry Editor and restart the computer.

9. Run SFC Scan

you can use System File Checker (SFC) To fix the issue if a corrupted file is causing Windows time synchronization to fail.

1. Fill “Terminal (admin)”.
2. Paste the following command and press Enter.

   sfc / scannow

   

3. Windows will repair any corrupted files found during the process. When finished, close Windows PowerShell, restart your computer, and check if the sync failure issue is resolved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can a low CMOS battery cause a time error on my computer?

answer. A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) battery powers the CMOS chip, which stores information about your system's configuration, including the date and time. Although rare, a weak CMOS battery can cause your computer to display the wrong time. What you can do is reset the CMOS and see if it resolves the issue.

Q2. Can malware cause time and date errors on your computer?

answer. Yes. If your computer is displaying incorrect time and date, even after trying the methods shared in this post, scan your computer with a reputable malware tool. Additionally, you can use Windows Defender via the Command Prompt to create your own scripts and scheduled tasks for better protection.

Q3. What are some other ways to keep your computer time accurate?

answer. If you're interested in alternatives, there are a few at your disposal. For example, you can automatically adjust your computer's clock for daylight saving time or use a third-party time synchronization program, such as  Atomic clock sync To ensure the accuracy of the time displayed on your computer.