How to restore AM/PM and year for time and date in Taskbar on Windows 11

Is your Taskbar clock not showing AM/PM or year? It's not a bug. It's the new default format, but you can restore the full format, and here's how.

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@Pureinfotech
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Taskbar with full date and time format
Taskbar with full date and time format / Image: Mauro Huculak
  • To restore AM/PM and year in the Taskbar, open Settings > Time & language > Date & time, click the “Show time and date in the System tray” setting, and disable the “Show abbreviated time and date” option.

On Windows 11, missing parts of the time and date in the Taskbar is not a bug. It’s the new format for the clock. However, there’s an option to restore the full format, and in this guide, I will explain the steps to complete this configuration.

After restarting the computer to apply the most recent system update for Windows 11, I noticed that the time in the System Tray no longer shows AM or PM, and the four digits for the year disappeared from the date. However, I quickly remembered that Microsoft has been working on a new option to show a shorter format for time and date in the Taskbar. The missing piece of information is that many users don’t know that the company is making this the new default format in the operating system.

If the abbreviated format isn’t working for you, Windows 11 includes an option to restore the full format for time and date in the Taskbar. You just need to know where to find the setting.

In this guide, I will explain the steps to bring back the AM/PM and year in the Taskbar’s clock for Windows 11.

Warning: Before proceeding, it’s crucial to acknowledge the risks associated with modifying the Windows Registry. Incorrect changes can lead to system instability or operational issues. Therefore, ensure you have a full system backup before making any changes. Proceed with caution and understanding.

Show full date and time format in Taskbar from Settings

To display the time and date in full format on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

  2. Click on Time & language.

  3. Click the Date & time page.

  4. Click the “Show time and date in the System tray” setting.

  5. Clear the “Show abbreviated time and date” option.

    Enable full time and date format in Taskbar

Once you complete the steps, the System Tray will display hours and minutes with the “AM” or “PM” annotation, and the date will appear as month, day, and year.

You can also follow these instructions in my video tutorial on my YouTube channel. (Remember to like and subscribe.)

Show full date and time format in Taskbar from Registry

To enable the full date and time format in the Taskbar, use these steps:

  1. Open Start.

  2. Search for regedit and click the top result to open the Registry.

  3. Browse the following path:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

  4. Right-click the ShowShortenDateTime key and choose the Modify option.

  5. Set the value of the key from 1 to 0.

    Registry ShowShortenedDateTime disabled

  6. Click the OK button.

  7. Restart the computer (if applicable).

After you complete the steps, the Taskbar will show again the AM/PM for the time and the full format for the date.

If you change your mind, you can restore the original configuration with the same instructions outlined above, but in step 5, change the value for ShowShortenDateTime from 0 to 1.

About the author
Avatar for Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].