How to put a world clock on a second screen

If you work with people in other time zones, keeping their local times in view can prevent missed calls and late messages. You can put a browser world clock on a second monitor and leave it visible while you work on your main screen.

First set the monitors to extend your desktop, not mirror it. Then open the clock, choose the places you need, and move the browser window containing it to the second screen.

Put the clock on the second screen

1. Open World Clock in your browser. Choose the cities or places you want to keep track of. It can show twelve clocks, along with day and night and the time difference.
2. Connect your second monitor and set the computer to extend the desktop. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Display. Under the display options, choose Extend these displays. On a Mac, open System Settings › Displays and set the second display to extend the main display if it is mirroring it.
3. Check that the display arrangement matches your desk. In Windows 11, drag the numbered display diagrams so one is positioned to the left or right of the other. In macOS, arrange the display tiles to match where the screens sit. This makes the pointer move naturally between them.
4. Move the browser window containing the World Clock to the second monitor. Drag the browser's top bar across the edge of the first screen. If the clock is open as a window inside TooLab's desktop, move the browser window itself to the second monitor so the whole clock stays there.
5. Resize the browser window so the clocks you need are easy to read. Keep a little space around the time display, and check that the browser has not hidden any of the locations you want to see.
6. Return to your main screen and check that the clock remains visible while you work. If the second monitor turns off when idle, adjust its sleep or display settings so it stays on for the periods when you need to refer to it.

Once the clock is positioned, leave it open in its own browser window if that suits your setup. You can keep your email, calendar, or work documents on the primary monitor and glance at the second screen without switching tabs.

Choose the places you check most

Use city names rather than time-zone abbreviations when setting up your clocks. Abbreviations can be ambiguous, and the UTC offset for a city can change when daylight saving time begins or ends. A named place makes it easier to confirm that you are looking at the right local time.

Pick the locations that affect your daily schedule, such as your own office, a colleague's city, and the location of a customer or supplier. You do not need to fill all twelve clock spaces. A shorter set is quicker to scan and leaves less chance of reading the wrong clock in a hurry.

Look at the time difference as well as the current time. A city can be several hours ahead or behind, and that gap may change during the year if the locations switch to daylight saving time on different dates. Before scheduling an important meeting, check the local time again for the date of the meeting.

Make the second screen comfortable to read

Place the monitor where you can glance at it without turning your whole body. If you use the screen for other work, choose a window size that leaves room for that work instead of keeping the clock full screen. Increase browser zoom if the city names and times are too small, then check that the useful clocks still fit.

Keep the clock away from areas where pop-up alerts or other windows often appear. Notifications can cover part of the page, so use the operating system's notification settings if alerts repeatedly hide the times. On Windows 11, notification options are under Settings › System › Notifications. On a Mac, open System Settings › Notifications.

Fix common second-screen problems

The clock appears on both monitors

Your displays may be mirroring rather than extending. Reopen the display settings and select the extend option. Mirroring shows the same image on both screens, while extending gives you a separate desktop area for the clock.

The pointer will not move to the second screen

The display arrangement may not match the physical layout. In display settings, move the screen diagrams so their edges line up with the way the monitors are placed. If the second monitor is physically on the right but the diagram is on the left, move the pointer toward the left edge to reach it.

The clock is on the wrong screen after you reconnect the monitor

Move the browser window to the second screen again. Some computers rearrange windows after a monitor disconnects, sleeps, or changes position. If the monitor is not detected, check its cable and the computer's display settings before reopening the clock.

The clock disappears when you close the browser

The clock runs in the browser, so closing the browser closes the page too. Keep the window open, and avoid using a browser feature that closes inactive tabs if it shuts down the clock. If you restart the computer, open the clock again and move it back to the second monitor.

For reliable meeting times, keep the clock open as a visual reference and confirm the date and city before sending an invitation. The displayed local time is useful for planning, but the meeting invitation should still specify the date and the time zone.