Force a Clock Resync with w32tm /resync

Immediately re-synchronize the Windows clock with its time server when it drifts minutes behind or ahead.

Windowscmdtime-synctroubleshootingLow risk
Run w32tm /resync in an elevated prompt; if it reports the service hasn't synced yet, restart w32time first with net stop w32time && net start w32time.

01Command

Command
$ net stop w32time && net start w32time
w32tm /resync

02What it does

A drifting clock causes surprisingly modern failures: websites refuse to load with certificate errors, 2FA apps desync, and scheduled tasks fire late. w32tm /resync asks the Windows Time service to contact its configured NTP server immediately, instead of waiting for the next periodic sync. When the service has been broken for a while, /resync fails with "the computer did not resync because no time data was available" — restarting w32time first usually clears it. Check status afterwards with w32tm /query /status, which shows the last successful sync time and the NTP source. For machines whose clock never syncs at all, w32tm /config /syncfromflags:manual /manualpeerlist:"time.windows.com" /update re-points them at a server.

03Risk

RiskLow risk
RequirementsCommand Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

  • w32tm — Time Service
    SS64 · technical · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: Documents w32tm /resync and related time-service commands for forcing clock synchronization.

Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: System & Settings

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