The Basic Steps for Most Smartwatches

Most smartwatches change the time automatically when they sync with your phone, so you may not need to do anything at all. If your watch is paired with your phone and has internet or Bluetooth connection, it pulls the correct time from your phone's settings. However, if your watch shows the wrong time, you can usually fix it in one of two ways: through the watch's own settings menu, or by adjusting the time on your paired phone.

The exact steps depend on what kind of smartwatch you own. Wear OS watches (made by Google), watchOS watches (Apple Watch), and Tizen watches (Samsung) each have slightly different menus. The good news is that the process takes less than a minute once you know where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • Most smartwatches sync time automatically from your phone, so check that your phone's time is correct before adjusting the watch.
  • On Wear OS watches, go to Settings > System > Date and Time and toggle off automatic time, then set it manually.
  • On Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to General > Date and Time, and turn off Set Automatically if you need manual control.
  • On Samsung Galaxy Watch, swipe down from the top, tap Settings, go to General > Date and Time, and adjust from there.
  • If your watch still shows the wrong time after you change it, unpair and re-pair it with your phone to force a fresh sync.

Changing Time on Wear OS Smartwatches

Wear OS watches include models from brands like Fossil, Mobvoi, and older Montblanc watches. To change the time, start by swiping down from the top of the watch face to open the quick settings menu. Look for a gear icon or the word "Settings" and tap it.

Once in Settings, scroll down and tap "System." Then tap "Date and Time." You will see a toggle for "Set Automatically"—turn this off so you can enter the time manually. After you turn it off, the watch will show fields for the hour and minute. Tap each field and use the up and down arrows to set the correct time. When you are done, the watch saves the change right away.

If the time keeps reverting to the wrong setting after you close the menu, your watch is probably re-syncing with your phone. Check that your phone's time is set correctly, and make sure Bluetooth is still connected. If your phone's time is wrong, fix that first—the watch will follow.

Changing Time on Apple Watch

Apple Watch does not have a manual time-setting option on the watch itself. Instead, you control the time through the Watch app on your iPhone. Open the Watch app, tap the "General" tab at the bottom, then scroll down and tap "Date and Time."

You will see a toggle for "Set Automatically." This is normally on, which means your watch gets the time from your iPhone. If you turn this toggle off, you can set a custom time, but Apple Watch will still try to sync with your phone whenever they are connected. For most people, leaving "Set Automatically" on is the right choice. If your Apple Watch shows the wrong time, the fix is almost always to correct the time on your iPhone instead.

If your iPhone time is correct but your watch still lags behind, unpair the watch from your phone and pair it again. This forces a complete time sync. Go to the Watch app, tap "General," scroll to the bottom, and tap "Unpair Apple Watch." After unpairing, set up the watch again from scratch—it will pull the correct time during setup.

Changing Time on Samsung Galaxy Watch

Samsung Galaxy Watch models (including Galaxy Watch 4, 5, and 6) have their own settings menu on the watch. Swipe down from the top of the watch face to reveal the quick settings panel. Tap the gear icon to open Settings.

Scroll down and tap "General," then tap "Date and Time." You will see options to set the date and time manually. If you see a toggle for "Automatic," turn it off first. Then tap the hour and minute fields to adjust them. Use the up and down arrows or swipe to change the numbers. Once the time is correct, swipe back or press the back button to save.

Like other smartwatches, Samsung watches prefer to sync automatically with your phone. If the time keeps changing back after you set it, make sure your phone's time is correct and that the watch is still paired via Bluetooth. If problems persist, go to the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone, find the watch in the list, and tap "Unpair" to disconnect it. Then pair it again—this usually clears up any sync issues.

What to Do If Your Watch Still Shows the Wrong Time

The most common reason a smartwatch shows the wrong time is that it is synced to a phone with the wrong time. Before you spend time adjusting the watch, check your phone's clock. On Android, go to Settings > System > Date and Time and make sure "Set Automatically" is on. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Date and Time and check that "Set Automatically" is on.

If your phone's time is correct but your watch is still wrong, the next step is to disconnect and reconnect them. On your phone, open the app that manages your smartwatch (Wear OS, Watch app, or Galaxy Wearable). Find your watch in the list and tap "Unpair," "Disconnect," or "Remove." Wait 30 seconds, then pair the watch again. During the pairing process, the watch will sync to your phone's time.

If the time is still incorrect after re-pairing, restart both your phone and your watch. Turn off your phone completely, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Then restart your watch by holding the power button until you see a power-off option. Once both devices are back on and re-connected, check the time again. This solves the problem in most cases.

Why Your Smartwatch Time Might Be Wrong

Smartwatches rely on your phone to know the correct time. If your phone's time is set to a different time zone or is straightforward incorrect, your watch will match it. This is by design—the watch is supposed to stay in sync with your phone so you do not have to manage two clocks.

Another common cause is a weak or broken Bluetooth connection. If your watch cannot reach your phone, it cannot update the time. If you have been away from your phone for a while, or if Bluetooth was off, your watch may be showing the time from when you last disconnected. Turning Bluetooth back on and bringing the watch close to your phone will usually fix this within a few seconds.

Time zone changes can also cause confusion. If you travel to a different time zone and your phone updates automatically (which most phones do), your watch should follow. If it does not, manually turn off automatic time on your watch, set the correct time, and then turn automatic time back on. This resets the sync.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my smartwatch time change back after I set it?

Your watch is syncing with your phone. Check that your phone's time is correct and that Bluetooth is connected. If your phone's time is wrong, fix that first. If your phone's time is right but the watch keeps changing, unpair and re-pair the devices to force a fresh sync.

Can I set my smartwatch to a different time zone than my phone?

Most smartwatches will not let you set a different time zone than your phone because they sync automatically. If you need a different time, you would have to turn off automatic sync and set the time manually, but the watch will try to re-sync every time it connects to your phone. It is easier to change your phone's time zone if you need the watch to show a different time.

What if my smartwatch has no internet and is not paired to a phone?

An unpaired smartwatch with no internet connection cannot update its time automatically. You can set the time manually through the watch's settings menu, but the time will not stay accurate because the watch has no way to know when it drifts. Pairing the watch to a phone is the best way to keep the time correct.

Does restarting my smartwatch fix time problems?

Restarting can help if your watch is stuck or not syncing properly. Hold the power button until you see a shutdown option, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. After restart, bring it close to your phone so Bluetooth can reconnect. This often clears up time sync issues without needing to unpair.

Why is my smartwatch time off by one hour?

A one-hour difference usually means your phone or watch is set to the wrong time zone, or daylight saving time changed and one device updated but the other did not. Check both your phone and watch settings to make sure they are set to the same time zone. If one is set to a different zone, change it to match the other, and they should sync correctly.