I'm trying to understand the difference between 'set time zone automatically' and 'set time automatically' on Windows 11. I'm planning to travel during the holidays and want to keep my laptop aligned with my usual work hours, so I want to prevent any issues that might arise with the time settings. I notice that 'set time zone automatically' is greyed out and switched off, while 'set time automatically' is on, but I can't change these settings without admin rights. Sorry if this sounds like a silly question, but I've struggled to find an answer online. Thanks for any help!
4 Answers
Just a heads up - this is all because computers used to drift from real time before the internet made syncing with time servers easier. 'Set Time Automatically' allows this sync feature, but if you're only traveling for a short time, it shouldn't affect your basic use unless you're dealing with specific servers that are picky about time settings.
Basically, 'set time automatically' connects to an online server for accurate UTC time, while 'set time zone automatically' adjusts based on your location. So if you manually set your location to reflect your normal work hours, it should show your usual working times instead of the local time you’re in.
If your time zone is locked, keeping 'set time automatically' on is fine. It’ll just adjust for daylight savings changes. You shouldn't need to worry too much.
Thanks for the info! Just out of curiosity, why would it be locked in the first place? I noticed location services are locked too, but without permissions for any apps.
The way it works is that your computer uses GMT as a base. When you enable 'set time automatically', it checks the current GMT and adjusts it to your local time. 'Set time zone automatically' uses localization services, which is helpful for devices like laptops when moving around. However, if your ISP is in a different zone, it might give wrong time settings.
I’m planning to work my usual hours (EST) while in a different time zone, so I want to maintain EST to avoid confusion. Do you think having 'set time automatically' on is a problem for this?
Got it! So if I set my time zone manually to my home office, it should display the right hours for work, not the hours of wherever I’ll be?