How to Set NTP Server on Windows Server 2025?

Configuring an NTP (Network Time Protocol) server on Windows Server ensures accurate system time synchronization, which is critical for domain controllers, security logs, authentication services, and application reliability.

STEP 1: Check Current Time Synchronization Status

Before making changes, verify how your Windows Server is currently synchronizing time.This shows the current time source, synchronization state, and offset.

w32tm /query /status

STEP 2: Set Custom NTP Server

Setting a reliable NTP server improves accuracy and stability.This configures multiple NTP servers for redundancy.

w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:"time.google.com time.windows.com pool.ntp.org" /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update

STEP 3: Restart Windows Time Service

After updating the NTP configuration, restarting the Windows Time service is required to apply the new settings immediately and ensure the server begins synchronizing time correctly without delay.

net stop w32time
net start w32time

STEP 4: Force Immediate Time Synchronization

To avoid waiting for the next automatic sync cycle, this step forces Windows Server to immediately synchronize its system time with the configured NTP servers, ensuring instant accuracy and consistency.

w32tm /resync

STEP 5: Verify NTP Configuration

Confirm that your Windows Server is now syncing with the configured NTP servers.Look for the NtpServer value to confirm your settings.

w32tm /query /configuration

STEP 6: Enable Windows Server as NTP Server

In this step, you configure Windows Server to act as a reliable NTP source for other systems, allowing client machines and network devices to synchronize their time accurately and consistently across the network

reg add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer /v Enabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Restart the time service:

net stop w32time
net start w32time

STEP 7: Allow NTP Port in Firewall

To ensure uninterrupted time synchronization, this step opens the required NTP port in the firewall so incoming and outgoing time requests can pass through without being blocked.

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Allow NTP" dir=in action=allow protocol=UDP localport=123

STEP 8: Common Issues and Fixes

If time synchronization fails, try these checksThis resets the Windows Time service and resolves most NTP issues.

w32tm /unregister
w32tm /register
net start w32time
w32tm /resync