Change the time in Settings on your iPhone

Open Settings, then tap General, then Date & Time. Toggle off Set Automatically if it is on. Once you turn it off, you can tap the time and date fields to change them manually. Tap each field, use the scroll wheels to set the correct hour, minute, month, day, and year, then tap Back when you are done.

If you leave Set Automatically turned on, your iPhone pulls the time from your cellular network or Wi-Fi connection and updates it without your input. This is the default setting and works for most people. Turn it off only if your phone is showing the wrong time despite being connected to the internet, or if you need to set a time zone different from your actual location.

Key Takeaways

  • The quickest way is to leave Set Automatically on in Settings > General > Date & Time, which syncs your phone to the network time.
  • If your phone shows the wrong time, check that you are connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data, because the automatic sync requires an internet connection.
  • To manually set the time, turn off Set Automatically, then tap the time and date fields and use the scroll wheels to enter the correct values.
  • Changing the time on your iPhone does not affect alarms, reminders, or calendar events — they stay tied to the time zone you set.

Why your iPhone time might be wrong

If Set Automatically is on but your phone still shows the wrong time, the issue is usually a lost internet connection. Your iPhone cannot sync to the network without Wi-Fi or cellular data. Check that you are connected to a working network, wait a few seconds, and the time should update on its own.

A second common cause is an incorrect time zone setting. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and look at the Time Zone field. If it shows a city or region you are not in, tap it and search for your actual location. Your phone will then pull the correct time for that zone.

Manually setting the time and date

Turn off Set Automatically in Settings > General > Date & Time. The time and date fields will become editable. Tap the time field first — you will see scroll wheels for hours and minutes. Scroll up or down to set the hour and minute, then tap Back.

Next, tap the date field. Scroll wheels will appear for month, day, and year. Set each one to match the correct date, then tap Back again. Your changes take effect immediately. If you want your phone to sync automatically again later, toggle Set Automatically back on.

Changing your time zone

Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and tap the Time Zone field. A search box will open. Type the name of your city or the time zone you need — for example, "Denver" or "EST". Tap your choice from the list, and your phone will adjust the displayed time to match that zone.

Your iPhone updates the time zone automatically when you travel and your phone detects a new network. If you are in a new location and the time zone has not updated, you can set it manually using this same method. The time zone setting affects how your alarms, calendar events, and reminders display, so set it to your actual location or the location where you want those events to occur.

What happens to alarms and reminders when you change the time

Alarms and reminders are tied to the time zone you set, not to a fixed moment. If you change your time zone from Eastern to Pacific, an alarm set for 7 a.m. will still go off at 7 a.m. Pacific time — which is 10 a.m. Eastern. The alarm does not shift with you; it stays anchored to the new zone.

Calendar events work the same way. If you create an event at 2 p.m. while in New York and then change your time zone to Los Angeles, the event will show as 2 p.m. Pacific time when you look at it from the West Coast. This is by design — your events stay tied to the time zone where you created them, so you do not miss meetings when you travel.

Troubleshooting when the time will not change

If you turned off Set Automatically but the time fields are still grayed out and uneditable, restart your iPhone. Press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, slide to power off, wait a few seconds, then press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo shows. Once your phone restarts, go back to Settings > General > Date & Time and try again.

If the time keeps reverting to the wrong setting after you manually change it, turn Set Automatically back on. Your phone is likely syncing to the network time automatically, which overrides your manual entry. Once automatic sync is on, check your internet connection and time zone setting instead of trying to change the time manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set a different time on my iPhone than what my time zone shows?

Yes. Turn off Set Automatically and manually enter any time you want. However, this will cause your alarms, reminders, and calendar events to display at times that do not match your actual location, which can lead to confusion. This is rarely useful unless you are testing something or need to see what time it is in another zone.

Why does my iPhone time change automatically when I travel?

Your phone detects the new cellular network or Wi-Fi network in your destination and automatically updates the time zone. This happens because Set Automatically is on by default. If you do not want this to happen, turn off Set Automatically before you travel, but remember to turn it back on when you return home.

Does changing the time on my iPhone affect my backup or iCloud sync?

No. Changing the time does not affect iCloud backups or syncing. Your data will back up and sync normally. However, if your time is very far off from the actual time, it can occasionally cause issues with time-sensitive services like two-factor authentication codes, so keeping your time reasonably accurate is still a good idea.

What is the difference between Set Automatically and manually setting the time?

Set Automatically pulls the time from your network and updates it constantly, so it is always correct. Manual setting lets you enter any time you want, but it does not update on its own. Use automatic for everyday use and manual only if you have a specific reason to override the network time.