How to show seconds in the Windows 11 system tray clock

Method 1: Enable seconds in Windows 11 settings (easiest)

1. Right-click the clock in the system tray.
2. Click Adjust date and time.
3. Click Show time and date in the System tray.
4. Check the box next to the Show seconds in system tray clock option.
5. Close settings.

Method 2: Enable seconds via Registry Editor (if toggle is missing)

If the option is missing or greyed out in Settings, you can force Windows 11 to display seconds using the Registry Editor.

1. Press the Windows + R keyboard keys to open the Run dialog.
2. Type regedit.
3. Press Enter or click OK.
4. Navigate to:

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

5. In the right pane, look for ShowSecondsInSystemClock:
   • If it exists: Double-click it and change the Value data from 0 to 1.
   • If it does not exist: Right-click an empty space in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, name it ShowSecondsInSystemClock, and set its value to 1.
6. Click OK.
7. Restart File Explorer or log out and back in for the changes to take effect.