Where to find the date and time settings
Open the Settings app on your iPhone — it's the gray icon with gears that you'll find on your home screen. Scroll down until you see "General" and tap it. Inside General, look for "Date & Time" and tap that option. This is where you control what date and time your phone displays.
The Date & Time menu shows you two important things: whether your phone is set to update automatically, and what timezone it thinks you're in. Most of the time, your iPhone handles this on its own by connecting to Apple's servers and your cellular network. But if your date or time is wrong, it's usually because one of these settings got changed or your phone lost its connection.
Key Takeaways
- Your iPhone's date and time update automatically by default, so you usually don't need to change them manually.
- If the date or time is wrong, first check that "Set Automatically" is turned on in Settings > General > Date & Time.
- If automatic is already on but the time is still wrong, toggle it off and back on to force your phone to reconnect and update.
- If you need to set the date and time manually, turn off "Set Automatically" first, then tap the date and time fields to change them.
- Your timezone setting affects what time your phone displays, so check that it matches where you actually are.
Turning on automatic date and time updates
Look for the toggle next to "Set Automatically" at the top of the Date & Time menu. If it's already green (turned on), your phone is set to update on its own and you shouldn't need to do anything else. Your iPhone will pull the correct date and time from the network whenever it connects.
If the toggle is gray (turned off), tap it to turn it green. Your phone will when ready try to sync with Apple's servers and your carrier's network to get the right date and time. This usually fixes the problem within a few seconds. Wait about 30 seconds, then go back to your home screen and check the time in the top left corner of your screen to see if it updated.
What to do if automatic updates aren't working
If "Set Automatically" is already on but your date or time is still wrong, your phone may have lost its connection to the network. Try turning the toggle off, waiting five seconds, then turning it back on. This forces your iPhone to reconnect and fetch the correct information again.
If that doesn't work, restart your phone. Press and hold the power button (on the side of newer iPhones, or the top on older models) until you see "Slide to Power Off" appear. Slide to turn it off, wait 10 seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on. Once your phone restarts and reconnects to the network, the date and time should update automatically.
Setting the date and time manually
If you need to set a specific date or time — for example, if you're in a new timezone and automatic updates aren't working — turn off the "Set Automatically" toggle first. Once it's off, two new fields will appear: one for the date and one for the time.
Tap the date field. A calendar picker will appear. Scroll up or down to find the month and year you want, then tap the specific day. Next, tap the time field. A clock picker will appear where you can scroll to set the hour and minutes. Once you've set both, tap "General" at the top left to go back, and your changes will save automatically.
Checking and changing your timezone
Below the date and time fields, you'll see "Time Zone." This tells your phone what region you're in, which affects what time it displays. If you travel to a different timezone and your phone isn't updating automatically, check this setting.
Tap the timezone field. A search box will appear where you can type the name of a city in your current timezone — for example, "New York" or "Los Angeles." Your phone will show you matching cities and their timezones. Tap the one that matches where you are. If you turn "Set Automatically" back on after this, your phone will update the timezone on its own whenever you travel.
Why your iPhone's time might be wrong
The most common reason is that "Set Automatically" got turned off somehow — either by accident or because you were troubleshooting something else. The second most common reason is that your phone lost its connection to the network and hasn't reconnected yet. Turning the automatic toggle off and back on usually fixes this.
A less common but real reason is that your timezone is set wrong. If your phone thinks you're in a different timezone than you actually are, it will display the wrong time even if the automatic setting is on. Check the timezone field and make sure it matches your actual location. If you travel frequently, leaving "Set Automatically" on lets your phone update the timezone whenever you move.
What happens if you change the date and time
Changing your date and time manually can affect how your phone works. Some apps use the date and time to schedule reminders, send messages at specific times, or record when you did something. If you set your phone to the wrong date or time, these apps might not work the way you expect.
For this reason, it's better to leave "Set Automatically" on whenever possible. Your phone will always show the correct date and time without you having to think about it. Only set it manually if you're troubleshooting a specific problem or if automatic updates genuinely aren't working after you've tried restarting your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my iPhone show the wrong time even though automatic is on?
Your phone may have lost its network connection. Try turning off Wi-Fi and cellular for 10 seconds, then turn them back on. If that doesn't work, restart your phone by holding the power button and sliding to power off, then turning it back on. Once your phone reconnects to the network, the time should update.
Can I set my iPhone to a different timezone without changing the actual time?
No. The timezone and the time are connected — if you change the timezone, the time will change to match. If you want to see what time it is in a different city, use the Clock app instead and add that city as a second timezone in the World Clock section.
What if I accidentally set my date to the wrong year?
Go back to Settings > General > Date & Time and turn "Set Automatically" on. Your phone will correct the date and time to match the network. If automatic is already on, turn it off and back on to force an update.
Does changing the date and time affect my alarms?
Yes. If you set your phone to the wrong date or time, alarms may go off at the wrong time or not at all. Always leave "Set Automatically" on unless you're actively troubleshooting. If you need to set alarms in a different timezone while traveling, the Clock app lets you add multiple timezones without changing your phone's actual date and time.