Where to find the time settings on your phone

The time on your phone updates automatically most of the time, but you can change it manually if needed. On both iPhone and Android, the setting lives in the same place you'd adjust other system information — the Settings app. The exact path differs slightly between the two, but the principle is the same: you're telling your phone to stop syncing with your carrier's time signal and use whatever you set instead.

Changing the time manually is useful when you travel across time zones and your phone doesn't catch up, when daylight saving time hasn't kicked in yet on your device, or when you're troubleshooting a problem where the wrong time is causing apps to malfunction. Once you change it, your phone will keep that time until you change it again or turn automatic time back on.

Key Takeaways

  • On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Date & Time and toggle off "Set Automatically" before you can change the time manually.
  • On Android, open Settings > System > Date & Time, turn off "Automatic date and time", then tap the time field to enter a new one.
  • Turning off automatic time means your phone will not adjust for daylight saving time or time zone changes unless you do it yourself.
  • If you turn automatic time back on, your phone will sync with your carrier and overwrite whatever you set manually.

Changing the time on an iPhone

Open the Settings app and tap General. Scroll down and tap Date & Time. You'll see a toggle labeled "Set Automatically" — tap it to turn it off. The toggle will turn white or gray depending on your iOS version, and below it you'll now see fields for the date and time that were previously grayed out.

Tap the time field. A picker will appear with hour and minute wheels. Scroll up or down on each wheel to set the time you want, then tap outside the picker or tap a confirmation button to close it. The date field works the same way — tap it, scroll to the month, day, and year you need, then confirm. Once you've set both, your iPhone will keep that time even if you move to a different time zone, until you turn "Set Automatically" back on.

Changing the time on Android

Open Settings and look for System or About Phone — the exact label depends on your phone's manufacturer. Tap System, then Date & Time. You'll see a toggle for "Automatic date and time" or "Set time automatically" — the wording varies. Tap it to turn it off.

Once automatic time is off, the time and date fields below will become tappable. Tap the time field and a keyboard or number picker will appear. Enter the hour and minute in the format your phone expects — usually 24-hour time, though some phones let you choose 12-hour. Tap the date field and enter the month, day, and year. Confirm your changes, and your Android phone will use the time you set until you turn automatic time back on.

Why your phone might not be showing the correct time

If you've set the time manually and it's still wrong, the most common reason is that automatic time is still on. Check your Date & Time settings again and confirm the toggle is actually off — sometimes it's straightforward to miss. If automatic time is off and the time is still incorrect, restart your phone. A restart clears temporary glitches that can prevent settings from taking effect.

If you've just crossed a time zone and your phone is showing the old time, automatic time should have adjusted it within a few minutes. If it hasn't after 10 minutes, turn automatic time off and on again. This forces your phone to re-sync with your carrier's time signal. If you're traveling internationally and your phone isn't picking up the new time zone, your carrier may not have a signal in that location — in that case, setting the time manually is your only option.

Turning automatic time back on

To return to automatic time syncing, go back to your Date & Time settings and toggle "Set Automatically" (iPhone) or "Automatic date and time" (Android) back on. Your phone will when ready sync with your carrier and overwrite whatever time you had set manually. This is the safest option for most people, because your phone will always stay correct without you having to think about it.

Automatic time also handles daylight saving time for you — when the changeover happens, your phone adjusts itself without any action on your part. If you leave automatic time off for an extended period, you'll need to manually adjust for daylight saving time when it occurs in your region, or your phone will be an hour off twice a year.

What happens when automatic time is off

When you turn off automatic time syncing, your phone becomes responsible for keeping its own time. It will keep whatever time you set, but it won't adjust for time zone changes when you travel, and it won't account for daylight saving time. This can cause problems with apps that rely on accurate time — some banking apps, calendar apps, and email clients may behave strangely if your phone's time is significantly off.

Some apps use your phone's time to verify that you're not trying to access something from the wrong time period, or to sync data with servers. If your time is wrong, these apps might refuse to work or show cached data instead of fresh information. For this reason, automatic time is the default setting, and most people should leave it on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing the time affect my alarms or reminders?

Yes. If you set your phone to a time earlier than the current actual time, alarms and reminders set for times that have already passed will not go off. If you set your phone ahead, alarms may go off earlier than you expect. It's best to turn automatic time back on as soon as you've finished troubleshooting.

Can I set a different time for different apps?

No. The time setting on your phone is system-wide — every app sees the same time. All apps use whatever time your phone is displaying. You cannot set one app to show a different time than another.

What if I can't find the Date & Time setting?

On iPhone, it's always in Settings > General > Date & Time. On Android, it's usually in Settings > System > Date & Time, but some manufacturers move it. Try searching for "date" or "time" in your Settings app's search bar at the top — most Android phones have a search feature that will take you directly to the setting.

Does changing the time affect my phone's location services?

No. Location services use GPS or network signals to determine where you are, not your phone's clock. Changing the time will not affect location accuracy or whether location services work.

Will my phone automatically fix the time if I turn automatic time back on?

Yes. As soon as you toggle automatic time back on, your phone will connect to your carrier's time signal and set itself to the correct time for your location. This usually happens within a few seconds.