How to Make Your Computer a Time Server (NTP)

A Time Server or NTP Server is used to synchronize the time across devices in a network. For example, in Windows, your time automatically gets synchronized with time.windows.com. The time.windows.com is the time server or NTP server created by Microsoft. Similarly, you can also make your computer a time server or NTP server. And then, you can synchronize the time of all devices in your local (LAN) network with your PC.

In this tutorial, we are going to show you how to make your computer an NTP or Time Server. And, you don’t need to install any software to do this. We will be using Windows Registry Editor to turn your computer into Time Server.

SEE ALSO: How to Make Your Computer a Web Server?

Make Your Computer a Time (NTP) Server

Follow these steps to configure your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC as a Time Server.

Step 1: Open Services and Stop Windows Time Service

To make your computer a time server, we will need to make some changes to Windows Time Service. So, first of all, we will need to stop the Windows Time service in the Windows services console.

Go to Start > Control Panel > System & Security > Administrative Tools > Services to open the Windows Services console. Alternatively, you can type services.msc in RUN and press ENTER.

Now, the Windows Services console will open. Here, look for the ‘Windows Time‘ service. After that, right-click on Windows Time service and select Stop to stop this service. But if the service is already in the stopped state, you can move to the next step.

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Step 2: Open Registry Editor and Create LocalNTP DWORD

Now, open Registry Editor. Go to RUN, type regedit , and press the Enter button to launch Registry Editor.

You may see UAC Prompt, click on Yes to continue. Registry Editor will open. In Registry Editor, go to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters

If you don’t see the LocalNTP DWORD on the right side, you will have to create it to make your computer a time server. So, to create the DWORD, right-click in the blank space and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Now, type the name of the new DWORD as LocalNTP (case sensitive).

After creating the DWORD, double-click on it to modify its value. Then set the DWORD value to 1 (Hexadecimal).

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Step 3: Enable NTP Server in Windows

This is one of the most important steps to make your PC an NTP server. Do not close the Registry Editor yet, go to the following key in the Registry Editor.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer

Here, on the right side, you will find a DWORD named Enabled. Right-click and select Modify to change its value.

Now, set the value data of Enabled DWORD to “1” (Hexadecimal).

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Step 4: Set Announce Flags

Now, go to the following key in Registry Editor.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\W32Time\Config

Here, we will change the value of AnnounceFlags DWORD. So, right-click on it and select Modify.

Now, set the value of AnnounceFlags DWORD to “5” (Hexadecimal). Now, your PC will advertise itself as an NTP server.

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Step 5: Start Windows Time Service

Go to Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Services again. Now, double-click on the “Windows Time” service to open its Properties. Here, set the Startup type to Automatic, start the service, and then click OK.

Now, you can use your computer as an NTP server. You can now synchronize the time of other computers in your LAN/Local network with your PC.

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SEE ALSO: Check these 10 Cool Command Prompt Tricks for you.

Step 6: Synchronize Time with NTP Server

Let’s see how to synchronize the time of any other PC using this newly created NTP Server. First, you need to find the IP address of your PC. You can check your IP in Network Settings or via Command prompt using the ipconfig command. In this tutorial, the IP address of our PC is 192.168.56.101. This is just an example, it may be different for you.

Now, go to another computer whose time you want to synchronize. Open the Control Panel and search for date time and click on Set the time and date link from the search results.

Date and Time settings will open. Go to the Internet Time tab and click on Change Settings.

A small Internet Time Settings window will open. Here, enter the IP address of your NTP server (192.168.56.101 in our case) in the box and click on Update Now to synchronize time. It may give you an error on the first attempt. Click on Update Now again and your time will be synchronized successfully. Now, you can click OK to close the time settings window.

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SEE ALSO: How to Set up Minecraft Server on Android Phone?

Turn your PC into an NTP Server without Any Software

Now, you have successfully turned your computer into an NTP or Time Server without any software. You can synchronize the time of every device on your network using this NTP server. You can also synchronize the time of any remote device using this NTP server by forwarding the NTP port on your router. NTP port is “123” by default. The process of forwarding a port in your router depends on the type of router you use. You can check your router’s manual for more details.

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