Where to find the time settings on your Mac

The time and date settings on a Mac live in System Settings, which is the control center for your computer. You reach it by clicking the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then selecting "System Settings" from the dropdown. On older Macs running macOS Monterey or earlier, this was called "System Preferences" — the location and steps are the same.

Once System Settings opens, look for "General" in the sidebar on the left. Click it, then select "Date & Time" from the options that appear. This is where you change the time, date, and timezone your Mac displays.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings from the Apple menu, then navigate to General and select Date & Time.
  • Turn off "Set date and time automatically" if you want to manually enter a specific time or date.
  • Your timezone setting controls what time your Mac displays; changing it does not change the actual time on your computer.
  • If your Mac's clock keeps resetting or showing the wrong time, the automatic setting may be turned on, or your battery may need replacement.

Changing the time manually

By default, most Macs have "Set date and time automatically" turned on. This means your computer pulls the correct time from Apple's servers and updates it on its own. To change the time yourself, you must first turn this setting off by clicking the toggle switch next to it.

Once you turn off automatic time setting, two new fields appear: one for the date and one for the time. Click the date field and a calendar pops up — select the date you want. Click the time field and type the hour, minute, and AM or PM. Your Mac will accept the change immediately once you click outside the field or press Enter.

If you turn off automatic time setting and then restart your Mac, the time may revert to the network time. This is normal behavior. To keep a manual time setting permanent, you may need to disable the automatic setting again after restart, or check whether your Mac's internal battery (which keeps time when the computer is off) needs replacement.

Changing your timezone

Your timezone setting tells your Mac what time to display based on where you are in the world. If you travel or move, changing your timezone updates the clock without changing the actual time stored on your computer. Open Date & Time settings and look for the "Timezone" section.

Click the timezone field and a list of regions appears. Type the name of your city or region to search — for example, typing "Denver" will show "America/Denver". Select the one that matches your location. Your Mac updates the displayed time immediately to match the new timezone.

What happens if automatic time is on

When "Set date and time automatically" is turned on, your Mac connects to time servers maintained by Apple and syncs the correct time every time it starts up or connects to the internet. You cannot manually change the time or date while this setting is active — the fields will be grayed out and unclickable.

This automatic setting is useful because it prevents your Mac's clock from drifting. Computer clocks naturally lose or gain a few seconds per day, and automatic syncing corrects this. Most people leave this on and never need to change it. The only reason to turn it off is if you need to set a specific time for testing or troubleshooting purposes.

Fixing a Mac clock that shows the wrong time

If your Mac displays the wrong time even though automatic time setting is on, the problem is usually one of three things: your timezone is set incorrectly, your internet connection is not working, or your Mac's internal battery needs replacement.

First, check that your timezone is correct in the Date & Time settings. If it is, restart your Mac and wait a few minutes for it to reconnect to the internet and sync the time. If the time is still wrong after restart, try turning off automatic time setting, manually entering the correct time, then turning automatic time back on. This forces your Mac to re-sync with Apple's servers.

If the time keeps reverting to an incorrect value even after you restart, your Mac's internal battery (called the CMOS battery) may be dying. This battery keeps the time when your Mac is powered off. If you suspect this, contact Apple Support or a repair technician, as replacing it requires opening the computer.

Time settings for network and security

Below the timezone setting, you may see options for "Set time zone automatically using current location" or "Adjust for daylight saving time automatically." The first option uses your Mac's location services to figure out your timezone without you typing it in. The second option automatically shifts your clock forward or back on the dates when daylight saving time begins and ends in your region.

Both of these are usually turned on by default and require no action from you. If you travel frequently or live in a place that does not observe daylight saving time, you can turn either one off. Turning off automatic daylight saving adjustment means you must manually change your time twice a year if you want your Mac to reflect the local time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Mac keep changing the time back after I set it manually?

If automatic time setting is turned on, your Mac will override any manual time change you make. Turn off "Set date and time automatically" in Date & Time settings to keep your manual time. If you restart your Mac, the automatic setting may turn back on, and you will need to disable it again.

Can I change the time on my Mac without opening System Settings?

You can click the time display in the top-right corner of your screen to see the current time and date, but you cannot change it from there. You must open System Settings and go to Date & Time to make any changes. Some older Mac models had a menu bar clock you could click to adjust time, but this is not available on current versions.

What is the difference between changing the time and changing the timezone?

Changing the time manually sets a specific hour and minute on your Mac's clock. Changing the timezone tells your Mac what region you are in, and it displays the time accordingly. If you move from New York to Los Angeles, you change your timezone, not the time itself — your Mac automatically shows the correct local time for that region.

Does changing the time on my Mac affect other devices or accounts?

No. The time on your Mac is stored locally and does not sync to your iPhone, iPad, or iCloud account. If you change your Mac's time manually, it only affects that computer. Other devices keep their own time settings independent of your Mac.