How to Change Time Zone in Windows 11 or 10 – CMD & PowerShell

Ever traveled to a different time zone and your Windows PC is still stuck in the past… or future? Don’t worry! You can change your time zone using simple commands in Windows 10 or 11. It’s quick, easy, and yes — even a little fun. Let’s dive in!

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Why Use CMD or PowerShell?

Sometimes the usual settings menu just doesn’t cut it. Maybe you’re scripting. Maybe you’re troubleshooting. Or maybe, you’re just feeling like a hacker today. Either way, using Command Prompt or PowerShell gives you more control.

Let’s explore how to change your time zone with each tool. Buckle up!

First: Know Your Available Time Zones

Before changing anything, you need to know your target time zone’s exact name. Windows uses a specific list of time zone IDs.

Using Command Prompt:

1. Open CMD as Administrator.
(Click Start, search cmd, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.)

2. Type:

tzutil /l

This will list all available time zones. You’ll see names like Pacific Standard Time or UTC.

Using PowerShell:

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator.

2. Type:

Get-TimeZone -ListAvailable

This lists available time zones, similar to the CMD way.

Change Time Zone via Command Prompt

Once you know the time zone name, changing it is easy.

1. In your open CMD window, type:

tzutil /s "Time Zone Name"

Example:

tzutil /s "Pacific Standard Time"

Voilà! You’ve switched time zones the terminal way.

Change Time Zone via PowerShell

If you prefer the blue terminal – aka PowerShell – here’s what to do.

1. Open PowerShell as Admin.

2. Use this command:

Set-TimeZone -Name "Time Zone Name"

Example:

Set-TimeZone -Name "India Standard Time"

Your time zone is now set to that beautiful place (even if you’re not there).

Don’t Forget to Check!

Worried something didn’t work? Let’s double-check.

In CMD:

tzutil /g

This shows your current time zone.

In PowerShell:

Get-TimeZone

This will confirm the change.

Bonus: Automate It!

Here’s a bonus for automation fans. You can create a batch file or PowerShell script and run it with a click. Great for travelers who switch time zones often.

Batch File Example (CMD):

@echo off
tzutil /s "Central Europe Standard Time"

Save it as ChangeTimeZone.bat and run it anytime!

PowerShell Script Example:

Set-TimeZone -Name "Eastern Standard Time"

Save the script with a .ps1 extension and run it quickly when needed.

Final Tips

You might need admin rights to change the time zone.
Double-check spelling – it’s picky about names.
Use quotes if your time zone name has spaces!

And there you have it! Whether you’re jet-setting around the globe or just doing some tech wizardry at home, changing the time zone with CMD or PowerShell is fast and fun. Happy time-traveling!