Clock doesn't keep correct date and time

Question

Windows 10 laptop will not keep the correct date and time. I will go into the system and correct it but it will not stay at the correct time/date. Both will speed up and could be months and years ahead.

Answer 1

Hi Kristin Leisgang,

Since the date and time continue to drift far into the future even after being corrected, this may be related to the computer's hardware clock (RTC) or system firmware rather than the Windows time settings alone.

Here are some possible checks that may help narrow down the cause:

1. Restart the laptop and enter the BIOS/UEFI setup.
2. Verify whether the date and time are also incorrect there before Windows loads.
3. If available, install the latest BIOS or firmware update from the device manufacturer's support website.
4. In Windows, ensure Set time automatically is enabled and use Sync now once to confirm time synchronization is working.

If the clock is already incorrect within the BIOS/UEFI environment, that would suggest the issue is outside of Windows and may require hardware-level diagnostics from the device manufacturer as the Independent Advisor suggested.

I hope this helps point you in the right direction. Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

---

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Answer 2

Hi!

Laptops have two batteries: the conventional lithium battery and the CR2032 battery. If both batteries are discharged, the date and time will be reset every time you turn the computer off and on. To confirm if it's a physical problem, do this test:

• Turn on the laptop and update the correct date and time > Wait a few minutes > Turn off your laptop and also remove the charger. Wait a few minutes and turn your laptop on again. If the date and time are incorrect, you need to replace at least the laptop's CR2032 battery.