Has Time Synchronization Failed on Windows? Try These Fixes

Oct 23, 2023

Get your Windows clock back on schedule with this guide.

Is your Windows system clock out of sync? Are you receiving an error message saying “Time synchronization failed”? It may cause various issues like missing reminders or emails with the wrong timestamp. Read this guide to learn how to fix the issue and synchronize your system clock accurately.

Time synchronization issues on Windows can occur for several reasons. Here are some common causes.

Now that you know the possible causes of time synchronization failure, let’s discuss how to fix this issue.

The Windows Time Service keeps the computer’s time and date synchronized with other computers on the network. If this service is stopped or not functioning, it leads to time synchronization issues.

To restart the Windows Time Service, follow these steps:

Once the service is restarted, close the window and check the time synchronization.

If restarting the Windows Time Service doesn't resolve the time synchronization issue, configure its settings to see if that helps.

To configure the Windows Time Service, follow these steps:

Now that you have configured the Windows Time Service, close the window. After that, restart your computer and check if time synchronization works.

This method is suitable when the time synchronization service fails to sync with an internet time server. It syncs to a reliable internet clock manually.

To modify internet time settings, follow these steps:

Once you perform the above action, close all windows and restart your computer. After restarting, check if the time synchronization issue is fixed.

If changing the time server doesn't work, add more servers to the list. That way, Windows try different servers to keep time in sync. To add more time servers, follow these steps:

Once you are done, close the registry editor. After synchronization completes, close all windows and restart your computer. Then verify if the time is accurate.

If other methods fail to fix the time synchronization issue on your Windows computer, scan for malicious programs. Malicious software interrupts time synchronization processes and causes errors.

To scan for malicious programs, follow these steps:

Once you perform the above action, close the Windows Security window and restart your computer. If malicious programs were responsible for the issue, it should now keep the time synchronized correctly.

Besides the specific solutions mentioned above, there are some general fixes that troubleshoot time synchronization problems.

Try these suggestions to fix time synchronization failed errors:

These fixes resolve time synchronization problems on your Windows computer.

We hope this article resolved any timing issues you encountered on your Windows computer. If the issue continues, perform a system restore. This reverses any recent modifications that could cause the issue. Meanwhile, it is advised to regularly backup your data in case of sudden system failures.

Digvijay is a Computer Science graduate with a passion for writing about technology topics. He's been writing since 2016 and he loves it. Aside from solving problems, he enjoys tinkering with gadgets.