TIME (command)
title: "TIME (command)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["real-time-clocks", "internal-dos-commands", "msx-dos-commands", "os/2-commands", "reactos-commands", "windows-commands", "microcomputer-software", "windows-administration"] topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TIME_(command)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox software"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | time |
| screenshot | ReactOS-0.4.13 time command 667x434.png |
| caption | The ReactOS time command |
| operating system | RT-11, VERSAdos, iRMX 86, MS-DOS, PC DOS, MSX-DOS, DR-DOS, PC-MOS, SpartaDOS X, OS/2, eComStation, ArcaOS, Windows, ROM-DOS, SISNE plus, PTS-DOS, FreeDOS, ReactOS, SymbOS, DexOS |
| platform | Cross-platform |
| genre | Command |
| license | PC-MOS: GPL-3.0-only |
| ReactOS: GPL-2.0-only | |
| :: |
| name = time
| logo =
| screenshot = ReactOS-0.4.13 time command 667x434.png
| screenshot size =
| caption = The ReactOS time command
| developer =
| released =
| latest release version =
| latest release date =
| operating system = RT-11, VERSAdos, iRMX 86, MS-DOS, PC DOS, MSX-DOS, DR-DOS, PC-MOS, SpartaDOS X, OS/2, eComStation, ArcaOS, Windows, ROM-DOS, SISNE plus, PTS-DOS, FreeDOS, ReactOS, SymbOS, DexOS
| platform = Cross-platform
| genre = Command
| license = PC-MOS: GPL-3.0-only
ReactOS: GPL-2.0-only
| website =
In computing, TIME is a command in DEC RT-11, DOS, IBM OS/2, Microsoft Windows and a number of other operating systems that is used to display and set the current system time. It is included in command-line interpreters (shells) such as [COMMAND.COM](command-com), [cmd.exe](cmd-exe), 4DOS, 4OS2 and 4NT.
Implementations
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/RT-11_help.jpg" caption="VT100]]."] ::
The command is also available in the Motorola VERSAdos, Intel iRMX 86, PC-MOS, SpartaDOS X, SpartaDOS X 4.48 User Guide ReactOS, SymbOS, and DexOS operating systems as well as in the EFI shell.{{cite web | url = http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/efi-shells-and-scripting/ | title = EFI Shells and Scripting | publisher = Intel | access-date = 2013-09-25
In Unix, the [date](date-unix) command displays and sets both the time and date, in a similar manner.
Syntax
The syntax differs depending on the specific platform and implementation:
DOS
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/IBM_PC_DOS_1.0_screenshot.png" caption="TIME.COM (among other commands) in [[IBM PC DOS]] 1.0."]
::
::code[lang=text] TIME [time] ::
OS/2 (CMD.EXE)
::code[lang=text] TIME [hh-mm-ss] [/N] ::
Note: /N means no prompt for TIME.
Windows (CMD.EXE)
::code[lang=text] TIME [/T | time] ::
When this command is called from the command line or a batch script, it will display the time and wait for the user to type a new time and press RETURN. Pressing RETURN without entering a new time will keep the current system time. The parameter '/T' will bypass asking the user to reset the time. The '/T' parameter is supported in Windows Vista and later and only if Command Extensions are enabled.
4DOS, 4OS2 and 4NT
::code[lang=text] TIME [/T] [hh[:mm[:ss]]] [AM | PM]
/T: (display only) hh: The hour (0–23). mm: The minute (0–59). ss: The second (0–59), set to 0 if omitted. ::
Examples
OS/2 (CMD.EXE)
- Display the current system time:
::code[lang=text] [C:]TIME Current time is: 3:25 PM Enter the new time: ::
Windows (CMD.EXE)
- To set the computer clock to 3:42 P.M., either of the following commands can be used:
::code[lang=text] C:>TIME 15:42 C:>TIME 3:42P ::
4DOS, 4OS2 and 4NT
- Display the current system time:
::code[lang=doscon] C:\SYS\SHELL\4DOS>TIME /T 19:30:42 ::
References
References
- "RT-11 HELP FILE".
- "JaTomes Help - OS/2 Commands".
- [https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb491015.aspx Microsoft TechNet Time article]
- [https://www.computerhope.com/timehlp.htm MS-DOS and Windows command line time command]
- [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/motorola/versados/M68KVSF_D7_VERSAdosSysFacilities_Oct85.pdf M68000 Family VERSAdos System Facilities Reference Manual]
- [https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_inteliRMX1_19819263 iRMX™86 INTRODUCTION AND OPERATOR'S REFERENCE MANUAL For Release 6]
- [https://github.com/roelandjansen/pcmos386v501/blob/master/DOCS/v4/PCMOSv4UserManual.pdf PC-MOS User Guide]
- (19 February 2022). "Reactos/Time.c at master · reactos/Reactos".
- (2003). "Running MS-DOS Version 6.22 (20th Anniversary Edition), 6th Revised edition". [[Microsoft Press]].
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