Fix: Missing Clock Icon From the Windows Taskbar

While working on your personal computer or laptop, it is natural to keep an eye on the time, whether to finish work on time or take a break. But what should you do if it vanishes out of nowhere? It is puzzling and annoying when you glance at the corner of your screen expecting to see the clock. They occasionally completely vanish from the Windows taskbar, while others are concealed due to several causes. So, here are a few steps to quickly fix the missing clock icon from the Windows Taskbar on Windows 11/10.

Fix the Missing Clock Icon From the Windows Taskbar

Follow these suggestions to bring the missing clock icon to the Taskbar or System Tray.

1. Enable from System tray Icons
2. Change or Reset DPI Scaling
   • Reset your DPI scaling to a comfortable scale factor
   • Change Taskbar settings for the System tray
3. Increase Taskbar Size
4. Enable Taskbar for all monitors
5. Run SFC Command

Some of these methods will need an administrator account.

1] Enable from System tray Icons

You can toggle the clock icon on and off in the Notification Area Icons settings. Here is the step-by-step procedure on how to do it.

• Open Run prompt using Win + R
• At the bottom of the page, click Turn system icons on or off.

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• From the list of given items, locate Clock and turn it off and on again.
• To make room for the clock icon to appear, toggle off any unwanted system icons clogging the taskbar.

2] Change or Reset DPI Scaling

The number of distinct dots that can be arranged on a line within a distance of 1 inch is measured in dots per inch (DPI). The DPI setting controls the text, applications, and icon sizes. They will appear smaller and bigger, respectively, with a lower and higher DPI level. Follow the given steps to adjust the DPI level on your PC.

Change your DPI scaling to a comfortable scale factor

• Open Settings (Win+I) and click on System.
• Click on Display
• Under the Scale and layout section, click on the drop-down menu and choose the scale settings that are appropriate for you. There are options of 100, 125, 150, and 175 percent.

Change Taskbar settings for the System tray.

Once you are done with the scaling, go ahead, and change the Taskbar settings.

Go into either Turn System icons on or off or Select which icons appear on the Taskbar, then either add or remove an icon until the clock reappears. You need to follow the first method for system icon customization.

4] Enable Taskbar for all monitors

There might be scenarios where people might have to use a dual monitor. So sometimes, problems like the taskbar missing on one of the monitors may cause the clock icon to disappear.

Try these steps to enable the taskbar for all monitors in Windows 11.

• Open Settings (Win+I).
• Find and click Personalization.
• Click on the tab Taskbar on the left pane.
• Click the Taskbar behavior settings.
• Next, check the Show my taskbar on all displays option.

These steps should enable you to find taskbars on dual monitors.

3] Increase Taskbar Size (Windows 10 Only)

One might be tricked into believing that the day and date icons are gone from the Windows taskbar when we switch to small taskbar buttons. They are concealed because they would not fit into the tiny taskbar. To view the clock icon, you must expand the taskbar’s size. Here are a few steps on how to make it larger.

• Go to a blank space on the taskbar and right-click on an empty spot. Uncheck the Lock taskbar.
• Next, move your cursor to the edge of the taskbar and see if the cursor changes to an extender arrow.
• Hold the cursor and move it upwards to expand the taskbar. You might be able to see the day and date icon on the taskbar. Try switching off the small taskbar icon if it is still not visible.
• To switch off the small taskbar icon, Go to Settings (Win+I) > Personalization > Taskbar and toggle off Use small taskbar icons.

5] Run SFC Command

System files can be checked and fixed for flaws or corruption using the Windows System File Checker (SFC) program. SFC primarily checks the quality of the system files on your PC. If any are found to be missing, corrupted, damaged, or modified, it automatically substitutes them with the appropriate version files. If your computer is not showing the clock icon, you can try and run the SFC utility.

To fix corrupted or damaged Windows System Files, follow the procedures below.

• Right-click on the Start button to open the Power Menu.
• Choose Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows Terminal (Admin)
• Type sfc /scannow and press the Enter key.

Wait patiently for Windows to scan your system for system errors and fix them. The entire system scan may take between 10 and 20 minutes to finish.

Conclusion

There are numerous potential causes for these icons to vanish from your Windows taskbar, but there are also numerous potential solutions, and one of them should prove successful for you. You can always customize your clock icon and choose the date and time format according to your convenience.

How to Show Additional Clocks in Windows Taskbar?

Open Control Panel App from the Start menu. Then tap on Clock and Region—Double-click the Date and Time icon, to open the Date and Time window. Select the Additional Clocks tab, and two occurrences of Show This Clock will be visible. Click on both the checkboxes before it and click OK. After you follow these steps, an additional clock will find its place on the taskbar.

How to Sync Time With the Internet on Windows?

Press Win+I to open the Settings window. Then click Time & language. Press Date & time on the left pane. Click Sync now to begin. The button will have a tick next to it to indicate that your time is accurate. Windows will automatically change your clock to reflect the new time.