Set First Day of Week in Windows 11

Changing the first day of the week in Windows 11 affects how the calendar in the taskbar, the Clock app, and other system apps display their week view. By default, Windows starts the week on Sunday, but you can switch it to Monday, Saturday, or any other day to match your regional or personal preference. This guide walks you through the two main methods: using the Settings app (recommended) and using the classic Control Panel. No special tools or admin rights are needed.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows 11 PC (version 21H2 or later; the steps are the same for current versions).
• Access to a user account with standard permissions (no administrator required).

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Using Settings (Recommended)

1. Open the Settings app. You can press Win + I on your keyboard, or click the Start button and select the gear icon.
2. In the left sidebar, click Time & language.
3. Click Date & time.
4. Scroll down to the Related links section and click Regional format. (Alternatively, you can search for “regional format” in the Start menu.)
5. In the Regional format page, click the drop-down menu under Format. It usually shows something like “Recommended” or your current region (e.g., “English (United States)”).
6. Click Change formats.
7. Find the First day of week drop-down menu. It currently shows your default (often Sunday).
8. Click the drop-down and select your preferred day (e.g., Monday, Saturday).
9. Close the Settings window. The change is applied immediately; you don’t need to restart your PC. The taskbar calendar and the Clock app will now start each week on the day you chose.

Method 2: Using Control Panel (Classic Method)

1. Open the Control Panel. You can press Win + R, type control, and press Enter.
2. Set the View by (top-right) to Large icons or Small icons.
3. Click Region.
4. In the Region dialog, click the Formats tab (it’s the default).
5. Click the Additional settings… button at the bottom.
6. In the Customize Format dialog, click the Date tab.
7. Look for the First day of week drop-down list. It’s near the bottom of the Date tab.
8. Select your desired day from the list.
9. Click OK on both open dialogs to save your changes.

Both methods achieve the same result. The Settings method is more modern and is the recommended approach for most users, while the Control Panel method is still available for those who prefer the classic interface.

Common Mistakes

• Changing the wrong setting: Some users accidentally change the “Short date” or “Long date” format instead of the “First day of week.” Make sure you select the correct drop-down.
• Expecting the change to affect all apps: The setting only affects apps that respect the system regional format. Some third-party calendar apps (like Google Calendar in a browser) have their own settings and may not follow this change.
• Not clicking “Additional settings” in Control Panel: In the Control Panel method, the “First day of week” is not visible on the main Region dialog; you must click the “Additional settings” button.
• Thinking you need to restart: The change is applied instantly. No restart or sign-out is required.

Tips

• Use the Settings method for consistency: The Settings method updates the same underlying regional format, so it’s the most straightforward and least error-prone.
• Check the calendar preview: In the Settings > Change formats page, there is a small calendar preview that updates as you select a different first day. Use it to confirm your choice before closing the window.
• If you use multiple languages: The first day of week setting is tied to the regional format, not the display language. Changing the format may also change other date/time formats (like date separators). You can customize those separately if needed.
• For business or school accounts: If your PC is managed by an organization, the setting might be locked by Group Policy. In that case, you’ll need to contact your IT administrator.

Troubleshooting

• The setting doesn’t stick after reboot: If the first day reverts to Sunday after a restart, it’s likely that a Group Policy or an app is overriding the regional setting. Check if your PC is part of a domain or has a policy that enforces a specific format. You can run gpresult /h gp.html in Command Prompt to see applied policies, but editing Group Policy requires admin rights.
• The calendar in the taskbar still shows Sunday first: This can happen if the system hasn’t refreshed the calendar. Try restarting the Windows Explorer process (right-click the taskbar, select Task Manager, find Windows Explorer, right-click and Restart). If that doesn’t help, sign out and back in.
• Can’t find the “First day of week” option: In the Settings method, make sure you are on the Change formats page (not just the Regional format page). In the Control Panel method, ensure you’ve clicked Additional settings and are on the Date tab.
• The drop-down is grayed out: This usually means the setting is managed by your organization. There’s no user-level workaround; contact your IT support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this change affect the calendar in the Clock app?

Yes, the Clock app (which includes the calendar flyout from the taskbar) respects the system’s first day of week setting. After you change it, the calendar view will start each week on the selected day.

Will this affect my Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar?

Outlook desktop and web apps usually have their own calendar settings. The Windows system setting may not override those. In Outlook, you can set the first day of week in Options > Calendar. Google Calendar uses its own settings as well.

Can I set different first days for different user accounts?

Yes, the setting is per-user. Each Windows user account has its own regional format settings. Changing it on one account will not affect another.

Why is Sunday the default in the US but Monday in Europe?

It’s based on regional conventions. The United States and many other countries historically start the week on Sunday, while most of Europe and many other regions start on Monday. Windows uses the regional format to set the default, but you can override it.

Does this setting affect the calendar in the Mail or Calendar apps?

The built-in Windows Mail and Calendar apps generally follow the system regional format, so they will reflect the change. However, if you’ve customized their settings, they may have their own override.

Is there a way to change the first day of week using a command or script?

Yes, you can use PowerShell to modify the registry value that stores this setting. The relevant registry key is HKCU\Control Panel\International and the value is iFirstDayOfWeek (0 = Sunday, 1 = Monday, etc.). However, editing the registry can be risky if done incorrectly, so the Settings method is safer for most users.

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