The basic steps depend on your watch's operating system

Most smartwatches let you change the time through the watch itself, though the exact steps vary by brand and model. The three main operating systems — Wear OS (used by Samsung, Fossil, and others), watchOS (Apple Watch), and Tizen (older Samsung models) — each have slightly different menus. Your watch may also sync time automatically from your phone, which you'll need to turn off first if you want to set it manually.

Before you start, check whether your watch is set to sync time automatically. If it is, any manual change you make will revert the next time your phone and watch connect. Most people find it easier to let the watch sync automatically, but if you need to set a different time zone or correct a drift, you'll need to disable that feature first.

Key Takeaways

  • Wear OS watches use the Settings menu, then System, then Date and Time to change the time manually.
  • Apple Watches sync time from your iPhone automatically and cannot be set manually — you must change the time on your phone instead.
  • Turning off automatic time sync before making changes prevents your watch from reverting to the synced time.
  • If your watch shows the wrong time after syncing, restart both devices and check that your phone's time is correct.

Changing time on Wear OS smartwatches

On Wear OS watches (Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and later, Fossil, Mobvoi, and others), swipe down from the top of the screen twice to open the quick settings panel. Look for the Settings icon — it usually looks like a gear — and tap it. Then navigate to System, then Date and Time.

In the Date and Time menu, you'll see a toggle for "Automatic date and time" or "Use network-provided time." Turn this off. Once it's off, you can tap the time fields to edit them manually. Set the hour and minute, then confirm. Your watch will keep this time even after your phone disconnects, though it may drift slightly over days without syncing.

Changing time on Apple Watches

Apple Watches do not allow manual time changes on the watch itself. The time syncs automatically from your paired iPhone and cannot be overridden. If your Apple Watch shows the wrong time, the problem is on your phone.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone, go to General, then Date and Time. Make sure "Set Automatically" is turned on. If it's already on, toggle it off and back on to force a refresh. Your Apple Watch will sync to the corrected time within a few seconds. If the time is still wrong after that, restart both your iPhone and Apple Watch by powering them off and back on.

Changing time on Samsung Tizen watches

Older Samsung Galaxy Watches running Tizen (Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Watch Active, and Galaxy Watch Active 2) use a different menu structure. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notification panel, then tap the Settings icon. Go to Apps, then Settings, then System, then Date and Time.

Toggle off "Automatic date and time" if you want to set the time manually. Once it's off, you can edit the hour and minute fields directly. Confirm your changes and the watch will hold that time. Like Wear OS watches, Tizen watches may drift if they don't sync with your phone regularly.

Why your smartwatch time keeps changing back

If you set the time manually and it reverts a few minutes later, automatic time sync is still on. Go back into Settings, find the Date and Time menu, and confirm that automatic sync is disabled. Some watches call this "Automatic date and time," others call it "Use network-provided time" or "Sync with phone." The wording varies, but the toggle should be clearly off.

If automatic sync is already off and the time still drifts, your watch's internal clock may be losing accuracy. This is normal for older watches or those that haven't synced in weeks. The fix is to turn automatic sync back on and let your watch resync with your phone. If the drift happens again within days, the watch's battery or internal components may be failing — contact the manufacturer or a repair service.

Syncing time across multiple time zones

If you travel and want your watch to show a different time zone, the easiest approach is to change the time zone on your phone first. Both Wear OS and Tizen watches will sync the new zone automatically. On your iPhone, go to Settings, General, Date and Time, and toggle off "Set Automatically," then choose your new time zone manually. Your Apple Watch will update within seconds.

If you're using Wear OS and want to set a time zone different from your phone's, you can do this in the watch's Date and Time menu after disabling automatic sync. However, this creates a mismatch between your phone and watch, which can cause confusion. Most people find it simpler to change the phone's time zone and let the watch follow.

Restarting your watch if the time won't update

A full restart often fixes time sync problems that settings changes don't resolve. On Wear OS, hold the power button until you see the power menu, then select "Restart." On an Apple Watch, hold the side button until the power menu appears, swipe to power off, wait 10 seconds, then hold the side button again to turn it back on. On Tizen, hold the power button for about 10 seconds until the watch vibrates and restarts.

After the restart, give your watch 30 seconds to reconnect to your phone. The time should sync automatically if automatic sync is enabled. If the time is still wrong after a restart, check that your phone's time is correct — your watch can only sync to what your phone is showing.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

On Wear OS and Tizen watches, yes — disable automatic time sync and set the time manually. On Apple Watch, no — it always matches your iPhone's time. If you need a different time zone, change your phone's time zone instead and let the watch sync.

Why does my smartwatch time drift even when it's synced?

Smartwatch clocks are less accurate than phone clocks and can lose or gain a few seconds per week, especially older models. This is normal. If the drift is more than a minute per day, your watch may need a battery replacement or repair.

What if my smartwatch won't sync time with my phone?

Restart both devices and make sure Bluetooth is on and they're paired. Check that your phone's time is correct — the watch syncs to whatever your phone shows. If they still won't sync, unpair and re-pair them in your phone's Bluetooth settings.

Do I need to change the time manually when I travel?

No. Change your phone's time zone in Settings, and your watch will sync automatically. This is faster and more reliable than setting the time manually on the watch.