The quickest way to change your iPhone's time

Open Settings, tap General, then tap Date & Time. Toggle off Set Automatically if it is on. You will then see Time Zone and a field showing the current time. Tap the time field and use the scroll wheels to set the hour, minute, and AM or PM. Tap Done when finished.

If you leave Set Automatically turned on, your iPhone will pull the correct time from your carrier or Wi-Fi network and update it whenever you move to a different time zone. Most people keep this on and never need to change the time manually. You only need to turn it off if your iPhone is showing the wrong time despite being connected to a network, or if you want to set a time that does not match your actual location.

Key Takeaways

  • Settings > General > Date & Time is where you control your iPhone's time.
  • Turn off Set Automatically to manually change the time; leave it on to let your network set it for you.
  • When you change your time zone, your iPhone updates the time automatically if Set Automatically is on.
  • If your iPhone shows the wrong time even when connected to Wi-Fi or cellular, toggling Set Automatically off and back on often fixes it.

When to turn off automatic time setting

Your iPhone normally keeps the correct time without any action from you. The Set Automatically toggle uses your phone's location and your network connection to pull the right time and time zone. You should turn this off only in specific situations.

Turn off Set Automatically if you are testing something that depends on a specific time, if you are in a location where the network time is wrong, or if you want your phone to show a different time than your actual location for privacy or personal reasons. Once you turn it off, your iPhone will not update the time automatically when you travel or when daylight saving time changes occur, so you will need to update it yourself.

Changing your time zone without changing the time

If you want to change only your time zone — for example, you are traveling and want your iPhone to show the local time — keep Set Automatically turned on. Your iPhone will detect your new location through Wi-Fi or cellular networks and update both the time and time zone for you.

If Set Automatically is off, you can change the time zone separately from the time itself. In the Date & Time settings, tap Time Zone and search for or scroll to the city or region you want. Your iPhone will adjust the time to match that zone based on whatever time you have already set.

What to do if your iPhone shows the wrong time

If your iPhone displays an incorrect time even though Set Automatically is on, the problem is usually a network connection issue. Make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi or have cellular service, then try turning Set Automatically off and back on. This forces your iPhone to fetch the correct time from the network again.

If that does not work, restart your iPhone by powering it off and back on. A restart clears temporary glitches that can prevent your phone from syncing with the network time. If the wrong time persists after a restart and you are definitely connected to a network, the issue may be with your carrier or Wi-Fi network itself — try connecting to a different network if you can.

Using 12-hour and 24-hour time formats

Your iPhone can display time in either 12-hour format (with AM and PM) or 24-hour format (military time). This setting is separate from changing the actual time. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and look for Time Format. Toggle it to switch between the two formats.

The format you choose affects how the time appears on your lock screen, in notifications, and throughout your phone. It does not change the actual time — only how it is displayed. Your choice here is independent of your time zone or whether Set Automatically is on.

Syncing time across your Apple devices

If you have multiple Apple devices — an iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch — they all use Set Automatically by default and will show the same time as long as they are connected to the same network or signed into the same iCloud account. You do not need to set the time on each device separately.

If you turn off Set Automatically on one device and manually change its time, that change does not sync to your other devices. Each device maintains its own time setting independently. This is useful if you want one device to show a different time than the others, but it means you will need to update each device manually if you want them all to match a non-standard time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my iPhone keep changing the time back?

Your iPhone is probably set to Set Automatically, which means it updates the time whenever you move to a different location or your network connection changes. If you want to keep a specific time, turn off Set Automatically in Settings > General > Date & Time.

Can I set my iPhone to a time that does not match my location?

Yes. Turn off Set Automatically, then manually set the time and time zone you want. Your iPhone will keep that time until you change it again or turn Set Automatically back on.

Does changing the time on my iPhone affect my alarms?

Yes. If you change the time backward, alarms set for times you have already passed will not go off. If you change the time forward, alarms may go off sooner than expected. Alarms are tied to the clock time, not to a duration.

What happens to my iPhone's time when I travel?

If Set Automatically is on, your iPhone detects your new location through your network and updates the time and time zone automatically. If it is off, the time stays the same until you manually change it.