The fastest way depends on your watch model and operating system
Most smartwatches update the time automatically when they sync with your phone, so you may not need to do anything. If your watch shows the wrong time, the fix usually takes under a minute — either through the watch's settings menu, through the companion app on your phone, or by forcing a resync. The exact steps differ between watchOS (Apple), Wear OS (Google), Fitbit OS, and Samsung's Tizen, but the principle is the same in each.
Before you start, check whether your watch is set to automatic time. Most smartwatches default to pulling the correct time from your phone or from the network, so manual changes are rarely needed unless automatic sync has failed or you are traveling across time zones and want to override the automatic adjustment.
Key Takeaways
- Smartwatches usually sync time automatically with your phone, so check that automatic time is turned on before making manual changes.
- On Apple Watch, go to Settings > General > Date & Time and toggle on Set Automatically; on Wear OS watches, the same setting is in Settings > System > Date & Time.
- If automatic sync is on but the time is still wrong, restart your watch and phone together, then force a fresh sync through the companion app.
- Manual time entry on most smartwatches requires navigating to the date and time settings and using the watch's physical buttons or touchscreen to adjust hours and minutes.
- If your watch still shows the wrong time after syncing, check that your phone's time is correct first — the watch copies from your phone, not the other way around.
How to change time on Apple Watch
On Apple Watch, the time syncs automatically from your iPhone. Open the Watch app on your iPhone, tap the General tab at the bottom, then tap Date & Time. Make sure Set Automatically is toggled on (it should be green). If it is already on, toggle it off and back on to force a fresh sync.
If you need to set the time manually — which is rare — you can do it directly on the watch. Swipe up from the watch face to open Control Center, tap Settings, then go to General > Date & Time. Turn off Set Automatically, then use the Digital Crown (the dial on the side) to adjust the hours and minutes. When you are done, turn Set Automatically back on so future syncs work correctly.
If the time is still wrong after syncing, restart both your iPhone and Apple Watch. Restart your iPhone normally, then restart your watch by holding down the side button until you see the power-off slider, swipe it, wait 10 seconds, then hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears.
How to change time on Wear OS smartwatches
Wear OS watches (made by brands like Samsung, Fossil, Mobvoi, and others) sync time through your Android phone. On your watch, swipe down from the top of the screen twice to open Quick Settings, then tap Settings. Scroll down to System, then tap Date & Time. Make sure Automatic is toggled on.
If Automatic is already on but the time is wrong, toggle it off and back on. If that does not work, open the Wear OS companion app on your Android phone, tap Advanced Settings, then tap About, and look for a Sync Now or Resync option. Some Wear OS watches also let you manually set the time by tapping the time field in Date & Time settings and using the on-screen keyboard or watch buttons to enter the correct hours and minutes.
Restart your watch if the time remains incorrect. Press and hold the power button until the watch shuts down, wait a few seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on. After the restart, check that your Android phone's time is correct — your watch copies the time from your phone, so if your phone is wrong, your watch will be too.
How to change time on Samsung Galaxy Watch
Samsung Galaxy Watches run Tizen OS and sync time through the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone. On the watch itself, swipe down from the top twice to open the quick panel, tap Settings, then go to General > Date & Time. Toggle on Automatic to sync with your phone.
If the time is still incorrect, open the Galaxy Wearable app on your Samsung phone, go to Watch Settings, then tap Date & Time and make sure Automatic is on. You can also try tapping Sync Now or a similar option in the app to force an when ready resync. If you need to set the time manually, turn off Automatic in the Date & Time settings on your watch, then tap the time field and use the watch buttons or touchscreen to adjust the hours and minutes.
If the watch still shows the wrong time, restart it by holding the power button for about 10 seconds until you see the shutdown menu, then tap Power Off. Wait a few seconds and press the power button again to turn it back on. Make sure your Samsung phone's time is correct before syncing — the watch will copy whatever time your phone is showing.
How to change time on Fitbit smartwatches
Fitbit watches sync time through the Fitbit app on your phone. Open the Fitbit app, tap your profile icon, select your device, and look for Date & Time or Time Zone settings. Make sure automatic time is turned on. If the time is still wrong, try logging out of the Fitbit app and logging back in, which often forces a fresh sync.
On the watch itself, you can usually access time settings by swiping to the settings menu (the gear icon) and looking for Date & Time or Clock. Most Fitbit watches do not allow manual time entry on the device itself — the time must be set through the app. If your Fitbit is showing the wrong time and automatic sync is on, restart the watch by holding the button for 10 to 15 seconds until you see the Fitbit logo, then release.
After restarting, open the Fitbit app on your phone and make sure your phone's time is correct. The watch pulls its time from the app, so if your phone is set to the wrong time, your Fitbit will be too. Check that your phone is set to automatic time in its own settings — on Android, go to Settings > System > Date & Time and toggle on Automatic; on iPhone, go to Settings > General > Date & Time and toggle on Set Automatically.
What to do if automatic time sync is not working
If your smartwatch refuses to sync the correct time even with automatic time turned on, the problem is usually a broken connection between the watch and phone. Unpair the watch from your phone completely, then pair it again. On iPhone, open the Watch app, go to General > Reset, and tap Unpair Apple Watch. On Android, open the Wear OS or Galaxy Wearable app, find your device, and look for an Unpair or Forget Device option.
After unpairing, restart both your phone and watch, then pair them again from scratch. This forces a fresh sync and usually fixes time sync problems. During the pairing process, the watch will pull the correct time from your phone, so make sure your phone is showing the right time before you start.
If the problem persists after unpairing and repairing, check that your phone has internet access and that location services are turned on — some smartwatches need location data to set the correct time zone. You can also try manually setting your time zone in the watch's settings if that option is available. If none of these steps work, your watch may have a hardware issue and may need service or replacement.
Changing time zones when traveling
When you travel to a different time zone, your smartwatch should update automatically if automatic time is on and your phone has updated to the new time zone. Most phones detect your location and adjust the time zone automatically when you land, and your watch will follow within a few minutes.
If your watch does not update after your phone does, try restarting the watch or forcing a resync through the companion app. On some watches, you can also manually set the time zone in the Date & Time settings if you want to override the automatic detection — this is useful if you are traveling but want to keep your watch on your home time zone for reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my smartwatch keep showing the wrong time?
The most common cause is that automatic time sync is turned off. Check your watch's Date & Time settings and make sure Automatic is toggled on. If it is on but the time is still wrong, your phone's time may be incorrect — smartwatches copy the time from your phone, not the network. Check your phone's time first, then restart both devices and force a resync through the companion app.
Can I set the time manually on my smartwatch?
Most smartwatches allow manual time entry through their settings menu, but it is not recommended because the watch will resync automatically and overwrite your manual change. If you need to set the time manually, turn off automatic time first, make your change, then turn automatic back on. On Fitbit watches, manual time entry is not available on the device itself — you must change it through the Fitbit app.
What should I do if my smartwatch and phone show different times?
First, check that your phone's time is correct. Your smartwatch copies the time from your phone, so if your phone is wrong, your watch will be too. If your phone is correct, restart your watch and force a resync. If the problem continues, unpair and repair the watch to your phone, which will force a fresh time sync during the pairing process.
Does my smartwatch need internet to update the time?
Your smartwatch syncs time through your phone, not directly from the internet. As long as your phone has the correct time, your watch can sync even without internet access. However, if your phone needs to detect a new time zone (when traveling), it may need internet or location services to update automatically.
Why is my smartwatch time off by one hour?
A one-hour difference usually means your watch is on a different time zone than your phone, or daylight saving time has changed and only one device has updated. Check that both your phone and watch are set to the same time zone and that automatic time is on. If you recently traveled, restart both devices to force them to detect the current time zone together.