Lock Screen Clock Time Format - Change in Windows 8

How to Change Lock Screen Clock Time Format in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

In Windows 8 and 8.1 there are two "Lock" screens.

• The user lock screen is the one that displays when a user locks the PC while still signed in to Windows, and when the user is selected on the sign in screen, times out, and returns to the lock screen. Each user is able to change their lock screen background image to an image of their choice.
• The default Lock screen image is the one that displays when there are no users currently signed in to Windows or selected on the sign in screen.

This tutorial will show you how to change the time format of the clock on the lock screen for users in Windows 8 and 8.1.

EXAMPLE: Clock on Lock Screen

(Default 1:20 PM)




(12 hour clock with leading zero 01:17 PM)




(24 hour clock military time "13:14" for 1:14 PM)






Here's How:

1. If you have not already, enable the built-in elevated "Administrator" account.

2. Sign in (ex: switch user) to the built-in elevated Administrator account.

NOTE: We are using the built-in Administrator account to avoid having to mess with taking ownership and setting permissions of the registry keys below.

3. Press the :winkey: +R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and click/tap on OK.

4. In Registry Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemProtectedUserData

​

​

​

5. Expand open SystemProtectedUserData, and expand open the long S-1-5-21... subkey for the user account that you want to change their lock screen clock time format. (see screenshot above)

   Tip

You can see what user account each S-1-5-21... subkey belongs to at the registry location below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

The Data for the ProfileImagePath value in the right pane of the selected S-1-5-21... subkey shows you the C:\Users\(user-name) user profile folder path to see what user account it belongs to.

For example: S-1-5-21-2398252893-3971982811-3240108950-1001 = C:\Users\Shawn

6. Under the long S-1-5-21... subkey for the user in the left pane, expand open AnyoneRead, and select LocaleInfo. (see screenshot below step 4)

7. In the right pane of LocaleInfo, double click on the TimeFormat string value to modify it. (see screenshot below step 4)

8. Type in the time format from the table below you want to display on the lock screen clock for the user, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

​

​

[TABLE=class:-grid,-width:-400][TR][TD]
Time Format
[/TD]
[TD]
Description
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
h:mm tt
[/TD]
[TD]
Default. 12 hour clock without a leading zero for the hour. Displays 1:20 for 1:20 PM.
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
hh:mm tt
[/TD]
[TD]
12 hour clock with a leading zero for the hour. Displays 01:17 for 1:17 PM.
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
HH:mm
[/TD]
[TD]
24 hour clock. Displays 13:14 for 1:14 PM.
[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

​

9. Repeat steps 5 to 8 for any other user account's long S-1-5-21... subkey that you want to change their lock screen clock time format.

10. When finished, close Registry Editor, and sign out of the built-in Administrator account from step 2.

11. To test, sign in to the user account (step 5) that you changed their lock screen clock time format, and lockwinkey: + L) the computer to see the lock screen with the clock's new time format.

12. If you like, you can disable the built-in elevated "Administrator" account from step 1.



That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change Lock Screen Clock Date Language in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Change Date and Time Format in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Change Date and Time in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
• How to Enable or Disable the Lock Screen in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Change the Default Lock Screen Background Image in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Change Your Lock Screen Background Image in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
• How to Set Default Lock Screen Background Image for All Users in Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[ralfbergs]

24h format incorrect

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 400"]
[TR]
[TD]Time Format[/TD]
[TD]Description[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]h:mm tt[/TD]
[TD]Default. 12 hour clock without a leading zero for the hour. Displays 1:20 for 1:20 PM.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]hh:mm tt[/TD]
[TD]12 hour clock with a leading zero for the hour. Displays 01:17 for 1:17 PM.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]HH:mm tt[/TD]
[TD]24 hour clock. Displays 13:14 for 1:14 PM.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

​

The 24 hour format is "HH:mm", not "HH:mm tt". (Although the trailing " tt" does no harm.)

 

[Brink]

 

[ralfbergs]

Thanks.

Thought I'd just throw in my 2 (Euro) cents -- I started with Windoze 8.1 just yesterday... ;-)

 

[jangirke]

Hi
My Windows 8 logon screen is not recognizing my settings.
For example if I use HH:mm:ss tt it just shows the 24hour clock
but only because I changed the other setting with the name:
Clock to 24HourClock.
Anybody knows what's wrong?
Best, Jan

 

[Brink]

Hello Jan, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Please go ahead and post a screenshot of your registry settings like under step 4 to see what the issue could be.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2598-screenshots-files-upload-post-eight-forums.html