Windows 11 displays the time and date in the taskbar’s system tray by default. However, you might want to hide the clock (time & date) in Windows 11 for various reasons. Whether you prefer a minimal aesthetic, want to reduce distractions, or need to configure your machine for professional settings like presentations, meetings, screen recording, or screen sharing, hiding the taskbar clock in Windows 11 is quite simple.
In this tutorial, I will show you two methods to hide the taskbar time and date in Windows 11. The first method uses the Settings app, and the second method involves a third-party open-source app called Win11ClockToggler, which offers more control and customization options. Let’s get started.
Steps to Hide the Taskbar Clock (Time & Date) in Windows 11 Via Settings
- Open the Settings app by pressing Windows key + I.
- Go to the Time & Language tab on the sidebar.
- Click Date & Time on this page.
- Turn “OFF” the Show time and date in the system tray toggle.
- With that, the clock is removed from the taskbar in Windows 11.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
First, open the Settings app. To do that, you can press the Windows key + I shortcut. Or, right-click on the Start button and select the Settings option.
Once the Settings app opens, go to the Time & Language tab and click the Date & Time option. As you’d expect, this is where you can customize Windows 11’s date and time settings and its visibility on the taskbar.
Turn “OFF” the Show time and date in the system tray toggle on this page. This action changes the clock’s visibility on the Windows 11 taskbar.
As soon as you turn off the toggle, the taskbar clock is immediately removed or hidden. If you don’t see the change, restart explorer or your computer. This action will force refresh the taskbar to remove the time and date.
Using Win11ClockToggler to Hide the Taskbar Clock in Windows 11
Important note: This method only works in Windows 11 version 22H2 with a build lower than 22621.1344. If you are using a newer Windows 11 build, this method will no longer work due to changes in how the clock is integrated with the taskbar. Follow this link to quickly check your Windows 11 version and build number.
As an alternative method, you can use Win11ClockToggler, a free and open-source app, to remove the Windows 11 clock from the taskbar. This app offers more flexibility than the regular Settings method, providing options to toggle the clock on and off with a keyboard shortcut and show the taskbar clock on mouse hover. Here’s how to use it.
- Get Win11ClockToggler from the GitHub page.
- Extract the zip file to a folder.
- Open the Extracted folder.
- Double-click on the exe file to open Win11ClockToggler.
- Turn “ON” the Date/Time toggle.
- Turn “ON” the Notification Area toggle.
- Click the Toggle Visibility option.
- This option will hide the clock on the taskbar system tray in Windows 11.
- Minimize the application.
- From now on, you can use the Windows key + Caps + F6 to toggle the taskbar clock on and off.
Link to download Win11ClockToggler: https://github.com/jmalarcon/Win11ClockToggler/releases
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
First, follow this link and click the “Win11ClockTogglerGUI_x64.zip” link under Assets to download Win11ClockToggler.
Right-click on the downloaded zip file and select the Extract All option. Next, click the Extract button to extract the zipped contents to a new folder in the same directory.
Open the extracted folder and double-click on the exe file in it to open the Win11ClockToggler application.
After the application opens, toggle ON the following options.
- Date/Time
- Notification Area
- Show on Hover (Optional. Enable this toggle if you want to see the taskbar clock on mouse hover)
Finally, click the Toggle Visibility option at the bottom.
Finally, minimize the application. As long as the application is running in the background, the Windows 11 clock is hidden. To see the clock, hover your mouse cursor where the clock should be.
Important note: When you minimize the application, it is completely hidden, and you will not see an icon in the taskbar tray. To see the Win11ClockToggler window, press the Windows key + Shift + F7.
Wrapping Up — Hiding Time & Date (Clock) in Windows 11
As you can see, hiding the clock on the Windows 11 taskbar is fairly easy thanks to the built-in option in the Settings app. Alternatively, if you need additional options such as a quick toggle and showing the clock on hover, you can use Win11ClockToggler. Both methods are effective in removing the clock from the Windows 11 taskbar. However, keep in mind that Win11ClockToggler only works in Windows 11 version 22H2 with a build number lower than 22621.1344. If you are using a higher version of Windows 11, follow the Settings method instead.
If you have questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist. If you are using Windows 10, follow our guide on hiding the taskbar clock in Windows 10.