Windows 11 24H2: Time zone settings restricted to admins only
Microsoft has confirmed a problem with the Windows 11 24H2 time zone setting: Only admins can change it.
(Image: Bild erstellt mit KI in Bing Designer durch heise online / dmk)
If you are running Windows without admin rights and have updated Windows 11 to the latest version 24H2, you will not be able to change the time zone as expected. Microsoft has now confirmed this.
(Image:Â Screenshot / dmk)
In the Windows Release Health Notes for Windows 11 24H2, the developers write that after installing Windows 11 24H2, users without administrative rights will not be able to change the time zone in the Windows settings under "Settings" – "Time and language" – "Date and time". The expected time zone option is not displayed there for non-administrative users.
Remedy due to legacy issues
"Please note that the issue is limited to the date and time display of the Windows Settings app. It is not a result of changes to permissions, policies or any settings in the operating system. Users with administrator rights do not have this problem. Those without administrator rights can still change the time zone if they follow the steps under 'Workaorund'".
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And this is where Microsoft brings the old Control Panel into play, which has already been sidelined. It opens when you search for "Control Panel" after clicking on the Start menu. The top result of the search opens the old Control Panel. The time zone setting can be found there under "Time and region" – The entry highlighted in green by default, which looks like a category term, is itself a functioning link to the settings you are looking for. In the subsequent dialog, there is the sub-item "Date and time" – "Change time zone". Microsoft explains that this is also accessible to non-admins. A more direct way is to press the Windows key together with "R" and enter the command timedate.cpl in the dialog that opens.
Accordingly, only Windows 11 24H2 is affected. Microsoft is still investigating the problem and plans to correct it with an upcoming Windows update.
At the end of August, Microsoft announced plans to abolish the classic Control Panel. However, following an uproar in the community, the company backtracked somewhat and toned down the wording in the announcement text –, but the end result remained unaffected: the old Control Panel will be abolished in the long term. There will no longer be such simple countermeasures for errors similar to the one that now occurs with the time zone setting.
(dmk)
