>

Check Windows Time Sync Status with w32tm

Diagnose clock drift and NTP synchronization using w32tm /query — the built-in time service diagnostic nobody remembers.

Windowscmdtime-synctroubleshootingLow risk
Run w32tm /query /status to see the last successful sync time, source, and stratum, or w32tm /query /source to see the NTP server.

01Command

Command
$ w32tm /query /status /verbose
w32tm /query /source

02What it does

When a Windows machine's clock drifts, the first thing to know is whether the W32Time service is syncing at all. w32tm /query /status reports Last Successful Sync Time, the source, and stratum; /query /source shows the actual NTP peer (time.windows.com by default, or the domain hierarchy on AD machines). If sync is broken, w32tm /resync forces an immediate attempt and w32tm /stripchart /computer:time.windows.com shows the raw offset.

03Risk

RiskLow risk

04Undo

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

05Sources

  • Windows Time Service tools and settings
    Microsoft Learn · vendor-doc · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: Documents w32tm /query /status and /source for checking time sync state and NTP source.
  • w32tm - SS64
    SS64 · technical · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: Reference for w32tm query, resync, and configuration switches.

Last verified: 2026-09-17 · Category: System & Settings

06Related solutions

Flush the DNS resolver cache on Windows
WindowsnetworkDNStroubleshooting

Purge cached DNS lookups so Windows re-resolves hostnames from scratch — the fix for 'the new server is live but my browser still hits the old one'.

Medium risk ✓ 2026-09-17
Get a Full System Summary with systeminfo
WindowshardwarecmdDiagnostics

One command that shows OS version, install date, boot time, memory, network adapters and installed hotfixes.

Low risk ✓ 2026-09-17
Verify File Hashes with certutil -hashfile
Windowshashcmdsecurity

Built-in Windows command to compute MD5, SHA1 or SHA-256 hashes of any file.

Low risk ✓ 2026-09-17