How to change your time zone in Outlook

Your time zone setting in Outlook controls when meeting invitations show up on your calendar and what time Outlook displays for emails and events. If you move to a new location, travel frequently, or work across regions, you'll need to update this setting. The steps differ depending on whether you use Outlook on your computer, the web version, or your phone.

The fastest way is through your account settings, not through your calendar itself. Outlook stores your time zone in your profile, so changing it once updates all your calendars and email timestamps at the same time.

Key Takeaways

  • Time zone settings in Outlook are stored in your account profile, not in individual calendars, so one change affects everything.
  • On Windows or Mac, go to File > Options (or Outlook > Preferences on Mac), then Calendar, then find the Time Zone field.
  • In Outlook on the web, click Settings > View All Outlook Settings > Calendar > Time Zone.
  • On mobile, the time zone usually pulls from your phone's system settings, but you can override it in the Outlook app's settings.
  • After you change your time zone, existing events stay at their original times but display in your new time zone.

Changing time zone in Outlook on Windows

Open Outlook and click File in the top left corner. Then select Options from the menu that appears.

In the Options window, click Calendar on the left side. Look for the section labeled Time Zones. You'll see a dropdown or field that says something like "My current time zone" or just "Time Zone." Click it and select your time zone from the list. The list is alphabetical by city name, so search for a major city in your region if you're not sure of the exact zone name.

Click OK at the bottom of the window to save your change. Outlook will close the Options window and apply the new time zone immediately.

Changing time zone in Outlook on Mac

Open Outlook and click Outlook in the menu bar at the very top of your screen. Select Preferences from the dropdown.

In the Preferences window, click Calendar. Look for the Time Zone section. Click the dropdown next to "Time Zone" and choose your location from the list. Mac's Outlook organizes zones by region and city, so scroll to find yours.

Close the Preferences window. Your time zone change takes effect right away.

Changing time zone in Outlook on the web

Log into your Outlook account at outlook.com or outlook.office.com. Click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner of the page.

Select View All Outlook Settings from the menu. Click Calendar in the left sidebar. Under the Calendar section, find the Time Zone dropdown and select your time zone. The list shows time zones by offset and region name.

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save. Your browser will refresh and the change will be saved to your account.

Changing time zone on Outlook mobile apps

On both iPhone and Android, Outlook usually reads your phone's time zone setting automatically. If you need to override it, open the Outlook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines on Android, or your profile picture on iPhone).

Go to Settings and look for Calendar or Time Zone. Not all mobile versions of Outlook show a separate time zone control — if you don't see one, your phone's system time zone is what Outlook is using. To change it, go to your phone's Settings app, find Date & Time, and update the time zone there.

What happens to your existing events when you change time zones

When you change your time zone in Outlook, the actual times of your events don't move — they just display in your new time zone. For example, if you had a meeting scheduled for 2:00 PM Eastern time and you change to Pacific time, that meeting will now show as 11:00 AM on your calendar. The meeting itself hasn't changed; only how it appears to you has.

This matters most for recurring events and meetings with people in other time zones. If you're coordinating with someone who stays in your old time zone, they'll still see the meeting at the original time on their calendar. Outlook handles the conversion automatically, so you don't have to reschedule anything.

Troubleshooting time zone changes that don't stick

If you change your time zone and it reverts back, check whether your account is syncing properly. On desktop, close Outlook completely and reopen it. On the web, clear your browser cache or try a different browser. On mobile, restart the app.

If you use multiple devices, make sure you're changing the time zone on each one separately — Outlook on your computer and Outlook on your phone have independent settings. If you use Outlook through your employer's Microsoft 365 account, your IT department may have locked the time zone setting, in which case you'll need to contact them to make the change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my time zone affect meetings I've already scheduled with other people?

No. The meeting time stays the same for everyone. Only how it displays on your calendar changes. If you scheduled a 2:00 PM meeting with someone in New York and you move to Los Angeles, the meeting is still at 2:00 PM their time — it will just show as 11:00 AM on your calendar.

Can I set different time zones for different calendars?

No. Outlook applies one time zone to your entire account. All calendars you access through that account will use the same time zone. If you need to track multiple time zones, you can add a second calendar from another region and Outlook will show both, but they'll both display in your primary time zone.

What if my time zone doesn't appear in the dropdown list?

Search for a major city in your time zone instead of the zone name itself. For example, if you're in a small town in Mountain time, search for "Denver" or "Phoenix." Outlook groups zones by city, so this usually finds your region. If you still can't find it, your location may be in a zone that observes daylight saving time differently — contact your IT support or Microsoft support for help.

Do I need to change my time zone if I'm just traveling for a week?

Not necessarily. If you're only away briefly, you can leave your time zone as-is and just remember to add the time difference when you look at meeting times. If you're moving permanently or staying for several months, changing it prevents confusion with recurring events and daily calendar views.