The fastest way to change your iPhone's time

Open Settings, tap General, then Date & Time. Toggle off Set Automatically if it is on. You will now see Time Zone and Set Date & Time options. Tap Set Date & Time and adjust the time using the plus and minus buttons, or tap the time field to type it directly. When you are done, go back — the change saves automatically.

If you leave Set Automatically on, your iPhone syncs the time to your carrier's network and your time zone setting. This is the default and works for most people. Turn it off only if your phone shows the wrong time even after restarting, or if you need to set a time that does not match your actual location.

Key Takeaways

  • Settings > General > Date & Time is where you control your iPhone's time.
  • Set Automatically is on by default and pulls the correct time from your carrier — you usually do not need to touch it.
  • Turning off Set Automatically lets you type in any time you want, but your phone will not update automatically when you travel or during daylight saving time.
  • If your time is wrong, restart your phone first — it often fixes the problem without changing any settings.
  • Your time zone setting affects which time your phone displays, separate from the actual time value.

When Set Automatically is on and off

Set Automatically is the default state on every iPhone. When it is on, your phone receives the correct time from your cellular network (or from Apple's servers if you are on Wi-Fi). It also reads your time zone from your location or from the time zone you selected in Settings, and displays the time accordingly. You do not have to do anything — the time stays correct even when you travel or when daylight saving time changes.

Turn Set Automatically off only in specific situations: if you are testing an app that depends on a specific time, if you need to set a time that does not match your location, or if your phone is stuck on the wrong time and restarting did not fix it. Once you turn it off, you become responsible for updating the time yourself, including during daylight saving time transitions and when you travel across time zones.

Changing your time zone without changing the time

Your time zone setting and your actual time are separate. You can change one without changing the other. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and look for Time Zone — this is the field that tells your iPhone which time zone you are in. Tap it and type the name of a city in the time zone you want. Your phone will display the time in that zone, but the underlying time value stays the same.

This matters when you travel. If you fly from New York to Los Angeles, your iPhone automatically updates your time zone (if Set Automatically is on), so the clock shows the local time. The actual time on your phone has not changed — only what time zone it is displaying. If you turn off Set Automatically and manually change the time instead, you will have to manually change it again when you leave.

Why your iPhone time might be wrong

The most common reason is that Set Automatically is on but your phone has no network connection. If you are in airplane mode, on Wi-Fi without internet, or in an area with no signal, your phone cannot fetch the correct time. Turn off airplane mode, connect to a working Wi-Fi network, or move to an area with cell signal. Restart your phone after you do — it will sync the time when ready.

A second reason is that your time zone is set wrong. Even if the time value is correct, if your time zone is set to a place you are not in, the displayed time will be off by hours. Check Settings > General > Date & Time > Time Zone and make sure it shows a city in your actual location.

A third reason is that your phone's internal clock battery has failed. This is rare on modern iPhones, but if your time resets to January 1, 2001 every time you restart, or if it drifts by hours even with Set Automatically on and a good connection, contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store.

Changing the time for a specific app or alarm

You cannot set a different time just for one app — your iPhone has one system time that every app reads. However, you can set alarms for times that do not match your current time. Open the Clock app, tap Alarm, tap the plus button, and set the time you want the alarm to go off. The alarm will trigger at that time on your phone's clock, regardless of what the actual time is in the real world.

If an app is showing the wrong time, the problem is usually that the app has not refreshed since you changed your phone's time or time zone. Close the app completely (swipe up from the bottom of the screen and swipe the app up), wait a few seconds, and open it again. If the app still shows the wrong time, restart your phone.

Daylight saving time and automatic updates

If Set Automatically is on, your iPhone handles daylight saving time changes on its own. When your region switches to daylight saving time or back to standard time, your phone receives the update from your carrier and adjusts automatically. You will not see a notification — the time just changes.

If you have turned off Set Automatically and set the time manually, you are responsible for changing it when daylight saving time happens. Your phone will not remind you. Mark the date on your calendar (the second Sunday in March for the spring change, and the first Sunday in November for the fall change in the United States; other countries have different dates) and adjust your time manually on those days.

Restarting your phone to fix time problems

Before you change any settings, restart your iPhone. Press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your phone, wait 10 seconds, then press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo. This fixes most time-related issues because it forces your phone to reconnect to the network and sync the correct time.

If restarting does not work and your time is still wrong, check that Set Automatically is on and that you have a strong cell or Wi-Fi connection. If both are true and the time is still incorrect, go to Settings > General > Date & Time and manually set the time once. Then turn Set Automatically back on. Your phone should sync to the network time within a minute.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set a different time on my iPhone than the actual time?

Yes. Turn off Set Automatically in Settings > General > Date & Time, then tap Set Date & Time and adjust the time to whatever you want. Your phone will keep that time until you change it again or turn Set Automatically back on. However, apps and services that depend on the correct time (like email, banking, or location services) may not work properly.

Why does my iPhone time change when I travel?

If Set Automatically is on, your phone detects your new location and updates your time zone automatically. The displayed time changes to match your new location, but the actual time on your phone has not changed — only what zone it is displaying. This is normal and expected.

What happens if I turn off Set Automatically and never turn it back on?

Your iPhone will keep whatever time you set it to, even if you travel or daylight saving time happens. You will have to manually update the time yourself. Most people should leave Set Automatically on so the phone handles these changes without any action from you.

Does restarting my iPhone change the time?

No. Restarting does not change your time — it just forces your phone to reconnect to the network and sync the correct time if Set Automatically is on. If you have set a custom time with Set Automatically off, restarting will not change it.

Can I set my iPhone to 24-hour time instead of 12-hour time?

Yes, but that is a display setting, not a time-setting change. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and toggle 24-Hour Time on or off. This changes how the time appears on your screen (14:30 instead of 2:30 PM) but does not change the actual time on your phone.