Where to find the time settings on your iPad
The time and date settings on your iPad live in the Settings app, not in the Clock app. Open Settings, tap General, then tap Date & Time. You will see a toggle for Set Automatically at the top of the screen. This is the setting that controls whether your iPad updates the time on its own or whether you set it manually.
Most of the time, Set Automatically is already turned on. When it is on, your iPad pulls the correct time from Apple's servers and from your cellular or Wi-Fi network. You will not see individual fields to type in the time or date — the whole section is grayed out because the system is handling it for you.
Key Takeaways
- Turn off Set Automatically in Settings > General > Date & Time if you want to change the time manually.
- Once you turn off automatic time, the time and date fields become editable and you can tap them to change the values.
- Turning off automatic time can cause problems with email, app updates, and security certificates, so only do it if you have a specific reason.
- If your time is wrong even with Set Automatically on, restart your iPad or check that Wi-Fi or cellular is connected.
How to manually change the time and date
To change the time yourself, go to Settings > General > Date & Time and turn off the Set Automatically toggle. The toggle will turn gray, and below it you will now see editable fields for Time Zone, Date, and Time.
Tap the Date field first. A calendar picker will open. Scroll up or down to find the month and year you want, then tap the day. Next, tap the Time field. A clock picker will appear where you can spin the hour and minute wheels to set the exact time. Tap outside the picker when you are done, and the new time takes effect when ready.
The Time Zone field at the top lets you choose your region. This affects how the time displays and how your calendar and reminders work. If you change your time zone, the time on your iPad will shift to match — for example, changing from Eastern to Pacific time will move the displayed time back three hours.
Why your iPad might show the wrong time even on automatic
If Set Automatically is on but your iPad still shows the wrong time, the problem is usually that your device cannot reach the time server. This happens most often when Wi-Fi or cellular is not connected, or when the connection is too weak to complete the sync.
Restart your iPad by holding the top button and one volume button until the power-off slider appears, then slide to power off. Wait a few seconds, then hold the top button again until the Apple logo appears. Once it restarts, connect to Wi-Fi or cellular and give it a minute to sync. The time should correct itself automatically.
If the time is still wrong after a restart and you are connected to the internet, try turning Set Automatically off and back on. This forces your iPad to request a fresh time update from the network. If that does not work, the problem may be with your Wi-Fi router or your internet service — try connecting to a different Wi-Fi network if one is available.
When you should leave automatic time on
Keeping Set Automatically turned on is the safest choice for most people. Your iPad uses the correct time for security certificates on websites, for email timestamps, for app updates, and for scheduled tasks like reminders and calendar events. If the time is wrong, these features can break in ways that are hard to notice.
For example, if your time is set too far in the past, your iPad may refuse to connect to find websites because it thinks the security certificate has not become valid yet. If your time is too far in the future, it may think certificates have expired. Email apps may also refuse to sync if the time is significantly off.
Reasons you might need to change the time manually
There are a few situations where you might need to turn off automatic time. If you are testing an app that depends on a specific date or time, you can set your iPad to that moment. If you are in a location where the network time is incorrect or unavailable, you can set the time by hand. Some people also change the time to test how their device handles time zone changes or daylight saving time transitions.
If you are changing the time for testing purposes, remember to turn Set Automatically back on when you are done. Leaving it off can cause problems that appear later and are difficult to trace back to the time setting.
How to change your time zone without changing the time
If you want to change your time zone but keep the actual time correct, leave Set Automatically on and only change the Time Zone field. Your iPad will automatically adjust the displayed time to match the new zone. For example, if you are traveling from New York to Los Angeles, changing the time zone from Eastern to Pacific will move the displayed time back three hours, but the actual moment in time stays the same.
This is different from manually changing the time itself. When you turn off Set Automatically and change the Time field, you are telling your iPad to show a different moment in time, which can break the features mentioned above. Changing only the time zone is safe because your iPad is still syncing to the correct moment — it is just displaying it in a different zone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing the time on my iPad affect my other Apple devices?
No. Each device has its own time setting. If you change the time on your iPad, your iPhone, Mac, or Apple Watch will not be affected. However, if you use iCloud to sync calendars, reminders, or other data, those services will use the time on each device to determine when events should appear, so mismatched times can cause confusion.
What happens if I turn off automatic time and forget to turn it back on?
Your iPad will continue to show whatever time you set manually, and it will not update even if you move to a different time zone or if daylight saving time changes. Over time, the time will drift further from reality. Email, app updates, and website security may start to fail. Turn automatic time back on as soon as you notice the problem.
Can I set the time to something in the future or past?
Yes, the date and time pickers will let you set any date and time you want. However, doing so can break email, app updates, and website security, as described above. Only set the time to a non-current value if you have a specific reason, and remember to change it back.
Why does my iPad show a different time than my iPhone?
If both devices have Set Automatically on, they should show the same time. If they do not, one or both devices may not be connected to the internet, or one may have automatic time turned off. Check that both are connected to Wi-Fi or cellular, and verify that Set Automatically is on for both.