The quickest way to change your Android time

Open Settings, tap System or About phone (depending on your Android version), then select Date and time. Turn off Automatic date and time if it is on. Tap Set time and use the on-screen picker to enter the hour and minute you want. Tap OK or Confirm to save.

The exact menu names shift between Android versions and phone manufacturers, but the path is always Settings → a system menu → Date and time. Once you turn off automatic time, you can set it manually whenever you need to.

If you do not see a Set time button, your phone may have automatic time locked on. Some work phones and school devices prevent manual time changes for security reasons. If that is the case, you will need to contact your IT department or device administrator to unlock it.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings, find the system menu (usually called System or About phone), and open Date and time.
  • Turn off Automatic date and time so you can enter a time manually.
  • Tap Set time and use the picker to choose your hour and minute, then confirm.
  • If your phone is managed by a workplace or school, automatic time may be locked and you cannot change it without administrator permission.

Why your Android phone may not let you change the time

Most Android phones sync time automatically with your mobile carrier or a time server on the internet. This keeps your clock accurate without you having to think about it. When you turn off automatic time, you take control — but some devices do not allow this.

Work phones, school tablets, and devices enrolled in a management system often have automatic time forced on by the administrator. This is a security measure to prevent someone from changing the time to bypass login attempts or tamper with logs. If you own the phone outright and it still will not let you change the time, a factory reset may unlock the setting, but that erases everything on the device.

Before you reset, check whether your phone is enrolled in a management program. Go to Settings, search for Device admin or Device administrators, and look for any apps you do not recognize. If you find one, uninstall it or contact the person who set it up and ask them to remove the restriction.

How to change time zone separately from the clock time

Your time zone and your clock time are two different settings. The time zone tells your phone what region you are in; the clock time is what you see on the screen. You can change one without changing the other, though most people want to change both together.

In the same Date and time menu, you will see a Time zone option. Tap it and search for your city or region. Your phone will then show the correct time for that zone. If you have already set the clock time manually and you change the time zone, the clock time will shift to match — so if you set it to 3:00 PM and then switch from Eastern to Pacific time, it will become 12:00 PM.

If you are traveling and want to keep your clock showing your home time while your calendar and notifications use local time, you will need to change the time zone but leave the clock time alone. This is rare and usually confusing, so most people just let the time zone change the clock automatically.

What to do if the time keeps resetting to automatic

If you turn off automatic time and it turns itself back on, your phone is likely syncing with a time server every time it connects to the internet. This happens on some Android devices by design — they treat automatic time as a security feature that cannot stay off.

The first step is to check whether a management app is forcing it. Go to Settings, search for Device admin, and remove any apps that are not yours. Then go back to Date and time and turn off automatic time again.

If it still resets, try turning off location services temporarily, then set the time manually. Some phones use location to determine time zone and will override your manual time if location is on. You can turn location back on after you set the time. If the problem continues, the phone may be managed by your carrier or a previous owner, and you may need to contact them or do a factory reset.

Changing time on older Android versions

Android 5 through Android 9 use slightly different menu names than newer versions. On these older phones, go to Settings, tap System or About phone, then look for Date and time. The steps are the same: turn off automatic time, tap Set time, and enter your time.

Android 4 and earlier have the time setting in a different place. Open Settings, scroll down to Date and time (it may be under a System submenu), and follow the same process. If you cannot find it, search for "time" in the Settings search bar — most Android phones have had a search function since Android 6.

If your phone is very old and does not have a search function, the time setting is usually near the bottom of the main Settings menu. Look for Date and time or Date & time and tap it. The picker interface may look different, but the logic is the same.

Using your phone's clock app to see time in other zones

If you need to see what time it is in another city without changing your phone's time zone, use the Clock app instead of changing settings. Open Clock, tap the World Clock or Alarms tab (depending on your phone), and add a city. Your phone will show you the current time there without changing your own clock.

This is much faster than changing your time zone and then changing it back. It also means you will not accidentally miss a notification or alarm because your clock time shifted. Most Android phones come with a Clock app built in, but if yours does not, you can read one from Google Play Store for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing the time on my Android phone affect my alarms?

Yes. If you set an alarm for 7:00 AM and then change the time backward, the alarm may go off when ready or not at all, depending on what time you set it to. If you change the time forward, alarms set for times you have already passed will not go off. Always check your alarms after you change the time manually.

Can I change the time on my Android phone without going to Settings?

No. The time can only be changed through the Settings app. Some phones let you long-press the clock on the home screen or lock screen, but that usually just opens the clock app or alarm settings, not the time change menu. You must go to Settings → Date and time to actually change it.

What happens if I set my Android phone to the wrong time on purpose?

Your calendar, email, and other apps may show incorrect timestamps. Banking apps and two-factor authentication may stop working because they check whether your phone's time matches the server's time. Some apps will refuse to open until your time is correct. It is not recommended for more than a few minutes of testing.

Why does my Android phone keep changing the time when I travel?

Your phone is updating the time zone automatically based on your location or your mobile carrier's signal. This is the default behavior on most Android phones. To stop it, go to Settings → Date and time and turn off Automatic time zone or Set time zone automatically. You can then set your time zone manually and it will stay put.

Can I change the time format from 24-hour to 12-hour on Android?

Yes. In the Date and time menu, look for Use 24-hour format or Time format. Toggle it off to use 12-hour format with AM and PM, or toggle it on to use 24-hour format. This changes how the time appears on your screen and in notifications, but does not change the actual time.