Update Windows computers for the 2026 Canadian time zone changes

Only have computers in Alberta? The Alberta time zone guide has the same steps with the Alberta time zone update (Alberta computers only) script. If any of your computers are in British Columbia, Manitoba or the Northwest Territories, use this guide and choose Canada time zone update (AB,BC,MB,NWT) 2026. It covers Alberta too. The two scripts never conflict: each one skips places it does not cover.

Why computers need this

On November 1, 2026, these places did not turn their clocks back. They now keep the time they used all summer, all year. Windows computers still set to the old time zones followed the old rule, fell back an hour, and now show the wrong time.

Microsoft added new time zones in its Windows updates, but installing an update does not move a computer to the new zone unless Windows chooses its time zone automatically. On most business computers, someone has to switch it.

Which places changed

Saskatchewan and Yukon did not change: they already keep one time all year. Northwestern Ontario follows Manitoba, and the East Kootenay area of British Columbia keeps Alberta's time. The script does not change computers in those areas; see If you do not use the script.

What the script does on each computer

The Canada time zone update (AB,BC,MB,NWT) 2026 script in the Lavawall library does the whole job. It is safe to run on all of your computers. It never restarts a computer, and each computer usually finishes within a minute or so.

1. Checks where the computer is. Only computers that Lavawall places in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba or the Northwest Territories are changed. Anything else, or a computer whose location is unknown, is skipped. Servers are skipped too: the script changes workstations only.
2. Installs the Windows update with the new time zones from Windows Update, or from your WSUS server, if the computer does not have it yet.
3. Switches the time zone, but only if the computer is on the place's old zone: Pacific Time in British Columbia, Mountain Time in Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and Central Time in Manitoba. A computer set to any other zone is left alone.
4. Uses a stand-in if it cannot get the update. A computer that cannot get the update is moved to the stand-in zone in the table above, which shows the same time. Run the script again later: once the update is available, it installs it and moves the computer to the new zone.
5. Changes nothing if the update fails. A failed download, a failed install or too little disk space is reported, and the time zone is left as it was, because the computer can still get the update.

Which Windows versions get the update

The update needs free disk space: about 8 GB on Windows 10 and about 12 GB on Windows 11. A computer whose Windows Update or WSUS server does not offer the update also gets the stand-in zone until it does.

Before you start

• Who can do this: Anyone who can run scripts in your console.
• Plan: any Lavawall plan that includes remote support. See pricing.
• Computers: Windows 11 and Windows 10 workstations. The script reads each computer's location from Lavawall, so you do not type a province or a time zone anywhere.
• Where to start: open Run Script in your console.

Steps

1. Open Run Script. From the side menu or the search bar

   Go to Devices › Automation › Run Script, or type Run Script in the search bar at the top of the console.

   Open Run Script in your console →

2. Choose the Canada script. Nothing to fill in
   1. Under Select Script, type time zone update. Both time zone scripts are listed under Lavawall Library.
   2. Choose Canada time zone update (AB,BC,MB,NWT) 2026.
   3. There is nothing to fill in. The console supplies each computer's location when the script runs.

   

3. Add your computers and run it. Whole companies are fine
   1. Under Target Companies, pick a company and click + Add. Repeat for every company you look after. You do not need to sort computers by province.
   2. Leave When to run on Run immediately (or when device comes online). Computers that are off now run the script the next time they connect.
   3. Leave Max Runtime at the default, check the Summary, click Execute Script, and confirm.
4. Check the results. Status/Results

   Go to Automation › Status/Results. Each computer says what it did; Check your results explains every line.

   

   Open Script Execution Status in your console →

For a single computer

Open the computer's device details, click the Run Script box, start typing the script's name, and choose Canada time zone update (AB,BC,MB,NWT) 2026 under Library. Check the result the same way, in Status/Results.

Check your results

Each computer prints one or more of these lines. To find computers that are on a stand-in zone, search the results for STAND-IN APPLIED, and run the script on them again once they can get the update.

If you do not use the script

For a computer the script does not cover, set the time zone by hand:

1. Install the latest Windows updates.
2. Open Settings › Time & language › Date & time.
3. Turn off Set time zone automatically if it is on and the zone is wrong, then choose the new zone from the table in Which places changed. If it is not in the list, choose the stand-in zone.

• Northwestern Ontario: communities that follow Manitoba should use (UTC-05:00) Manitoba. Lavawall cannot tell them from the rest of Ontario by location, so the script leaves all Ontario computers alone.
• East Kootenay, British Columbia: communities that keep Alberta's time should use (UTC-06:00) Mountain Time (Alberta). The script leaves British Columbia computers set to Mountain Time alone.
• British Columbia stand-in: use (UTC-07:00) Yukon, never (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada), which still falls back each November.
• Servers: install the October 13, 2026 security update and choose the new zone.

Outlook and Microsoft 365

• Changing a computer's time zone does not move meetings that are already booked. Check recurring meetings that run past November 1, 2026.
• Classic Outlook follows the Windows time zone. Outlook on the web and the new Outlook have their own calendar time zone setting, so choose the new zone there too.
• Only a meeting's organizer can change it for everyone. Changing the time zone of a whole recurring series can undo occurrences that were moved by hand, so re-create those afterwards.
• Teams and phones show their own time zone. Keep them updated.
• Microsoft's article Outlook time zone changes for British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba has the steps for each version of Outlook.

Questions

A computer in Alberta was skipped as being somewhere else. Why?

Lavawall uses the computer's last known location, based on its internet address. A VPN or a remote network can make that location wrong. The location is shown beside the computer's name on its device details page. Set that computer's time zone by hand.

What happens to Windows 10 computers without Extended Security Updates?

Microsoft does not send them the update, so the script moves them to the stand-in zone, which shows the right time. If you enrol them in ESU later, run the script again and they move to the new zone.

Why Saskatchewan, Yukon and Bogota?

Each one is already at the right offset from UTC all year, with no daylight saving time, so it shows the same time as the new zone. Microsoft suggests the same stand-ins for its own services.

Will the script restart computers?

No. If Windows needs a restart to finish the update, the output says PENDING or RESTART REQUIRED.

Does it change servers?

No. Servers are skipped. Change their time zones by hand when it suits you.

What about Saskatchewan and Yukon?

Nothing changed there, and the script skips computers in both.

What about computers that are turned off?

They run the script the next time they connect to Lavawall.

When you are done

Every Windows workstation that Lavawall places in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba or the Northwest Territories shows the right time, on the new zone or on a stand-in until it can get the update. If all of your computers are in Alberta, the Alberta time zone guide does the same job with the Alberta-only script.

Articles for the pages in this guide

• Run Script: Run a script on every device in chosen companies, or on hand-picked devices, now, later or on a schedule. You can also send a desktop notification to users.
• Script Execution Status: Follow every script you have sent to devices, read what it printed, and cancel or re-run jobs.
• Device Detail: Everything Lavawall knows about one computer, with the tools to fix it, on a single page.
• Update Windows computers for Alberta Time: the same steps with the Alberta-only script.

Sources

• Microsoft: Canada 2026 time zone changes, guidance for Microsoft products
• Microsoft: British Columbia 2026 time zone update available now
• Microsoft: Alberta 2026 time zone update available now
• Microsoft 365 message centre MC1510951 and MC1526468
• Government of Manitoba: Manitoba Standard Time
• UBC IT: BC time zone change, calendars and devices
• Regroove: BC and Alberta time zone change

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