Where to find the clock settings on your phone

The clock on your phone lives in the Settings app, not in the Clock app itself. Open Settings, then look for a section called Date and Time or System—the exact name depends on whether you have an iPhone or Android phone, and which version you're running. Once you're in that section, you'll see options to change both the time and the date.

Most phones are set to update the time automatically using your network connection. If your clock is wrong, the fastest fix is often to turn off automatic time, manually set it to the correct time, then turn automatic time back on. This forces your phone to re-sync with the network.

Key Takeaways

  • The clock settings are in the Settings app under Date and Time, not in the Clock app.
  • Most phones update the time automatically, so turning automatic time off and back on often fixes a clock that's wrong.
  • If you manually change the time, you can also change the time format from 12-hour to 24-hour in the same menu.
  • Changing the time zone is a separate setting from changing the actual time, and your phone usually detects your time zone automatically.

Changing the time on an iPhone

On an iPhone, open Settings and tap General, then Date & Time. You'll see a toggle for Set Automatically. If it's already on (the toggle is green), your phone is syncing with Apple's time servers and your carrier's network. If your time is still wrong with this on, try turning it off, waiting a few seconds, then turning it back on.

If you need to set the time manually, turn off Set Automatically first. Then tap the time field and use the scroll wheels to set the hour, minute, and AM or PM. When you're done, you can turn Set Automatically back on if you want—your manual time won't be overwritten unless you restart your phone.

In the same Date & Time menu, you can also toggle 24-Hour Time on or off to switch between 12-hour and 24-hour formats. This changes how the time appears everywhere on your phone, including the lock screen and status bar.

Changing the time on an Android phone

On Android, open Settings and look for System or About Phone, depending on your phone's manufacturer. Tap Date and Time (or sometimes Date & Time). You'll see a toggle for Automatic Date and Time or Use Network-Provided Time. Turn this off if you want to set the time manually.

Once automatic time is off, tap the time field and enter the correct hour and minute. Some Android phones also let you tap the date field to change the date separately. When you're finished, you can turn automatic time back on—your phone will sync with the network's time server on the next update cycle.

To switch between 12-hour and 24-hour time, look for Use 24-Hour Format in the same menu. This setting is usually a toggle, and it controls how the time displays across your entire phone.

What to do if your time zone is wrong

Your phone's time zone is separate from the actual time. If you've traveled or moved, your time zone setting might be out of sync. On both iPhone and Android, look for Time Zone in the Date & Time settings. Most phones set this automatically based on your location, but you can change it manually by tapping the field and scrolling through the list of cities or regions.

If automatic time zone detection is on and you're still in the wrong zone, try turning it off and back on. This forces your phone to re-detect your location. If you're traveling and want to keep your home time zone, you can turn off automatic detection and manually select your home zone—just remember to change it back when you return.

Why your phone's clock might be wrong

If your clock keeps drifting or showing the wrong time even with automatic updates on, the problem is usually one of three things: your phone has lost its network connection, your phone's internal clock battery is failing (rare on modern phones), or your phone's software is out of date. Start by checking that you have a strong cellular or Wi-Fi signal, then restart your phone.

If restarting doesn't fix it, check whether a software update is waiting in Settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update. On Android, go to Settings > System > System Update. Installing the latest version often fixes time-sync problems. If your phone is several years old and the clock still won't sync after an update, the internal clock hardware may be failing, and you may need to contact the phone's manufacturer.

Changing the clock display format

Beyond 12-hour versus 24-hour time, you can also change how your phone displays the date. On iPhone, this is controlled by your region settings: go to Settings > General > Language & Region, then tap Region and choose your country or region. Different regions show dates in different orders (for example, MM/DD/YYYY in the United States versus DD/MM/YYYY in many other countries).

On Android, date format is usually tied to your language and region settings as well. Go to Settings > System > Languages & Input > Languages, select your language, and your phone will adjust the date format to match that region's standard. Some Android phones also have a separate Date Format option in the Date & Time menu where you can pick from a few preset formats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my phone's clock keep changing back to the wrong time?

Your phone is probably syncing with a network time server that has the wrong time, or your automatic time setting is turning back on after you manually change it. Try turning off automatic time, setting the correct time, and leaving automatic time off for a day to see if the problem persists. If it does, restart your phone and check for a software update.

Can I set different times for different apps?

No. Your phone has one system clock, and all apps use that same time. If you need a different time zone for a specific app (like a world clock or meeting scheduler), those apps have their own time zone settings, but they won't change your phone's actual clock.

What happens if I change my time zone while traveling?

If you turn off automatic time zone detection and manually set a new zone, your phone's clock will adjust to that zone's time. When you return home, you'll need to either turn automatic detection back on or manually switch back to your home time zone. Alarms and scheduled events will use whatever time zone your phone is currently set to.

Does changing the time affect my phone's battery or performance?

No. Changing the time or time zone has no effect on battery life or how your phone runs. The only thing that might use slightly more battery is having automatic time detection on, but the difference is negligible.