Where to find the clock settings on Android

The clock settings on Android live in your system settings, not in the clock app itself. Open Settings, then look for System or About phone — the exact path varies by manufacturer. Once you find it, tap Date and time. This is where you control what time your phone displays and whether it updates automatically.

Some phones from Samsung, Google Pixel, or OnePlus put this option directly in the main Settings menu under General management or System. If you cannot find it after checking those two places, use your phone's search function: swipe down from the top of your home screen, tap the search icon, and type "date and time". Android will take you straight there.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, find System or About phone, then tap Date and time to reach the clock controls.
  • Turn off automatic time updates if you want to set the time manually, then tap the time field to change it.
  • The 24-hour format toggle lets you switch between 12-hour (with AM/PM) and 24-hour time display.
  • Your phone syncs time with your carrier or internet connection by default, so manual changes revert unless you disable that sync.
  • Changing the time zone is a separate setting from changing the actual time — do not confuse the two.

Turning off automatic time so you can set it manually

By default, Android updates your time automatically using your internet connection or cellular network. If you want to change the time yourself, you must turn this off first. In the Date and time menu, look for a toggle labeled Automatic date and time or Use network-provided time. Tap it to turn it off.

Once that toggle is off, the time and date fields below it become editable. If they are still grayed out, scroll down — some phones hide the manual entry fields until you disable the automatic option. After you turn off automatic updates, your phone will keep whatever time you set until you manually change it again or turn automatic updates back on.

Setting the time manually

After you disable automatic time updates, tap the Time field. A clock picker or number pad will appear. If you see a clock face with hour and minute hands, drag the hands to the time you want. If you see number fields, tap each one and type the hour, minute, and AM or PM.

The exact interface depends on your phone's manufacturer and Android version. On Pixel phones, you usually get a digital number pad where you type the time directly. On Samsung phones, you might see a clock dial. Either way, once you have set the time, tap OK or Confirm to save it. The time on your home screen updates when ready.

Changing the date separately from the time

The Date field works the same way as the time field — tap it after you have disabled automatic updates. A calendar picker usually appears, showing the current month. Tap the date you want, or use the left and right arrows to navigate to a different month, then select the day.

Some phones let you type the date directly as numbers instead of using a calendar. If you see a date field with slashes or dashes, tap it and enter the month, day, and year in the format your phone expects (usually MM/DD/YYYY in the United States). Tap OK to confirm. Your phone's lock screen and status bar reflect the new date right away.

Switching between 12-hour and 24-hour time format

Android can display time as 12-hour (with AM and PM labels) or 24-hour (military time, where 1 PM becomes 13:00). In the Date and time menu, scroll down to find Use 24-hour format or Time format. Tap the toggle to switch between the two. Your phone updates the time display on your home screen and in notifications when ready.

This setting only changes how the time appears — it does not change the actual time. If you switch to 24-hour format and your phone was showing 3:30 PM, it now shows 15:30. The time itself has not moved. You can switch back and forth as often as you want without affecting your alarms, timers, or scheduled events.

Understanding time zones and why your time keeps changing

If you set the time manually but it keeps reverting to a different time, your automatic time updates are probably still on, or your time zone is set incorrectly. Check the Automatic date and time toggle again — it may have turned itself back on after a system update or restart.

Separate from the time itself is the Time zone setting. Even if automatic time updates are off, your phone may have a time zone set that does not match your location. If you are in New York but your time zone is set to Los Angeles, your phone will be three hours behind. Tap Time zone in the Date and time menu and select the zone where you are. This does not change the time — it only tells your phone how to interpret the time it displays.

What to do if the date and time menu is locked or grayed out

Some phones, especially work or school devices, have restrictions that prevent you from changing the time manually. If all the fields in Date and time are grayed out or you cannot turn off automatic updates, your device may be managed by an administrator. Check your Settings for Device admin apps or Device administrators and see if an organization has control over your phone.

If you own the phone outright and did not set up any restrictions yourself, restart your phone and try again. Sometimes a glitch locks the settings temporarily. If the fields are still locked after a restart, you may need to contact your phone's manufacturer or the organization managing the device to unlock these settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my phone time keep changing back after I set it manually?

Automatic time updates are still on. Go back to Date and time settings and make sure the Automatic date and time toggle is off. If it keeps turning itself back on, your phone may have restarted or received a system update that re-enabled it. You may also have a time zone set that does not match your location — check the Time zone field and correct it if needed.

Can I set different times for different apps?

No. The time you set in Date and time settings applies to your entire phone — all apps, notifications, and system functions use the same clock. Individual apps cannot display a different time than what your phone is set to.

What is the difference between time and time zone?

Time is the actual hour and minute — for example, 3:45 PM. Time zone tells your phone what region you are in so it knows how to display that time correctly. If you are in New York (Eastern time) and your time zone is set to Pacific, your phone will show the time three hours earlier than it actually is in your location.

Will changing the time affect my alarms or calendar events?

Yes. If you set your phone's time to a different hour, alarms and calendar events shift with it. An alarm set for 7:00 AM will go off at what your phone thinks is 7:00 AM, even if you have manually changed the time to something incorrect. For this reason, it is best to keep automatic time updates on unless you have a specific reason to change the time.

How do I change the time on just my lock screen without changing the system time?

You cannot. The lock screen displays whatever time your phone is set to in Date and time settings. If you want a different time to appear on your lock screen, you have to change your phone's system time, which affects everything else on your device.