Problems with the Mac’s menu bar clock are rare, but they can happen. For example, a setting may change on its own and refuse to change back. If you’re struggling with fixing the clock settings on your menu bar, here’s everything you need to know.
How To Fix a Broken Menu Bar Clock
Reset System Time Configuration via Terminal
Time needed: 5 minutes
Be careful when copy-pasting commands into Terminal. Even a minor typo could exacerbate what’s supposedly a relatively quick fix. Follow these steps:
- Log into an account that can administer your computer. If you’re not sure, it’s good to check.
- Under the Apple menu icon, go to System Settings > Users & Groups. If the word Admin is under your username, you’re all set. If not, log into an administrator account.
- Open Spotlight and type Terminal.
- Copy and paste the following command into the terminal and press Return:
sudo su
- You’ll be prompted to enter your password, which won’t be visible on the screen. After you hit Return, the character in front of the cursor will change from % to #.
- Now, copy and paste the following and hit Return:
mv /private/var/db/timed/com.apple.timed.plist xcom.apple.timed.plist - Restart your computer and adjust your Time & Date settings back to where you want them to be
How Does Reseting System Time Configuration Fix a Broken Menu Bar Clock?
Sometimes, odd glitches in applications that suddenly appear can be caused by a corrupted settings file. On the Mac, those hard-to-find files have the extension .plist.
Most potentially problematic .plist files are stored in [your_username]/Library/Preferences or, if they affect all users, /System/Library/Preferences. However, system clock settings are buried much deeper in the system in a place where no one is meant to go.
That’s why we started out with the sudo su command (Step 3). It elevates a humble administrator to a root user, which can do absolutely anything. It is a VERY dangerous place to be, which is why I had you copy and paste the command. However, it is the only way to be allowed into the folder where the clock’s .plist file is stored.
The Terminal command mv (Step 4) renames the offending plist file to something the system won’t recognize. (The same command is used to move and rename files. If you think about it, it makes sense.) This is considered a good practice when messing about with system files because you can recover them if something doesn’t work out.