Ever wished your Windows 11 clock showed seconds along with hours and minutes? Whether you want more precision while working, timing tasks, or just prefer seeing the exact time down to the second, you can easily enable this feature. By default, Windows 11 only displays hours and minutes, but with a quick tweak, you can add seconds to the taskbar clock.
Why Add Seconds to the Clock?
Adding seconds might seem minor, but it’s incredibly useful for:
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Monitoring precise time during tasks
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Keeping track of countdowns or schedules
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System administrators or developers needing accuracy
Can You Add Seconds by Default?
In Windows 10, adding seconds to the clock required a registry edit. Windows 11 makes it simpler—you can now enable it directly from the system settings starting with newer updates (22H2 and above). If you don’t see the option, make sure your system is updated.
How to Add Seconds to the Clock in Windows 11
Here’s how to enable it step by step.
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Right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
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Scroll down and click on Taskbar behaviors.
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Look for Show seconds in system tray clock.
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Toggle it on.
That’s it! Your clock will now display seconds.
What If the Option Isn’t There?
If you don’t see the “Show seconds” option, your Windows 11 version might not support it yet. In that case, you can:
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Update your system: Go to Settings > Windows Update and install the latest updates.
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Use Registry Editor (Advanced method):
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Press Win + R, type
regedit, and press Enter. -
Navigate to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced -
Right-click in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
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Name it
ShowSecondsInSystemClock. -
Set the value to 1.
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Restart your PC or restart Windows Explorer.
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Will This Affect Performance?
Showing seconds may slightly increase resource usage, but the difference is negligible for modern PCs. It only updates the clock once per second instead of once per minute.
Can You Remove It Later?
Yes! Just toggle the setting off in Taskbar settings or delete the registry key if you added it manually.
Final Thoughts
Adding seconds to your Windows 11 clock is a small but handy customization. It gives you a more precise time display without the need for third-party apps. If you don’t see the option right away, keep your system updated—Microsoft continues to add more customization features with each update.
FAQs
1. Does this feature work on Windows 10?
Yes, but only through a registry edit, not a simple toggle.
2. Do I need administrator rights to add seconds?
For the registry method, yes. For the built-in toggle, no.
3. Will this drain my battery on a laptop?
The impact is minimal and barely noticeable.
4. Can I show seconds on multiple monitors?
Yes, the taskbar clock with seconds will appear on all active taskbars.
5. Is there a third-party app to do this?
Yes, apps like T-Clock or ElevenClock can add seconds with more customization.