In this guide, I will walk you through the steps to configure the time zone settings on Windows devices using Intune. With Intune, you can easily manage time zone settings for Windows 10/11 devices, whether you prefer to set them automatically or manually adjust them for specific regions. These settings can be configured during the Autopilot Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) or after the Autopilot setup.
For instance, if your organization operates across various geographic regions and has devices grouped into Entra security groups based on location, you can create region-specific time zone policies using Intune’s Settings Catalog. This approach ensures that devices in each region are aligned with the local time zone.
Opting for automatic time zone configuration simplifies management by eliminating the need to create multiple Entra security groups or maintain separate time zone policies for each region. This ensures a seamless experience, reducing administrative overhead while keeping your devices synchronized with the correct time zone.
How to Manually Configure Time Zones Using Intune
Manually setting time zones means assigning a specific time zone for each region, one at a time, using a policy in the Settings catalog. To do this, you’ll need an Entra security group for the devices in each region and create a separate policy for each area
Steps to Configure Time Zones in Intune
1. Access Intune Admin Center
Go to Devices > Configuration and click Create > New Policy.
Select Platform: Windows 10 and later and Profile type: Settings Catalog.
2. Provide Basic Details
On the Basics tab, give your policy a Name and Description, then click Next to move to the configuration settings.
3. Set the Time Zone
- Click on + Add settings and open the Settings picker.
- Search “time zone” and check the box to configure time language settings.
Enter the appropriate Time Zone ID in the text box (e.g., India Standard Time).
- Assignments: Click Add Groups and select the Entra security group containing Windows 10/11 devices. As a best practice, start with a group with test devices, and once testing proves successful, you can expand the deployment by including additional devices in the group.
Review + create: Review the deployment and click on Create to start the deployment process
End User Experience
I first tested the manual time zone configuration method and confirmed if the time zone was set as per the policy. This device was set to GMT Standard Time. After applying this policy, it changed to Mountain Standard Time. The device now reflects the updated time zone as Mountain Standard Time when checked using the tzutil /g command
Configure Time Zone on Windows to Automatic
Enable Location Services for Applications
Microsoft recommends enabling location services for apps using the Policy CSP: Privacy/LetAppsAccessLocation. To do this, you’ll first need to create a Settings Catalog policy and set it to “Force allow.” Here’s how to do it:
- Sign in to the Intune admin center.
- Go to Devices > Configuration > Create > New Policy.
- Choose Windows 10 and later as the platform and select Settings Catalog as the profile type.
- On the Basics tab, provide a name and description for the policy, then click Next to move to the Configuration settings.
Configuration Settings:
- Click on + Add settings and then Settings picker.
- In the search box, type let apps access location.
- Select the Let Apps Access Location checkbox and set it to Force to allow
- Assignments: Click Add Groups and select the Entra security group containing Windows 10/11 devices. As a best practice, start with a group with test devices, and once testing proves successful, you can expand the deployment by including additional devices in the group.
- Review + Create: Review the deployment and click on Create to start the deployment process
