Where to find the clock settings on your Apple Watch

The clock display settings live in the Watch app on your paired iPhone, not on the watch itself. Open the Watch app, tap the Clock tab at the bottom of the screen, then scroll down and tap Clock Face. From there you can switch between different clock faces and adjust how the time appears.

If you want to change just the time format—whether it shows 3:45 or 15:45—that setting is in a different place. Go to the Watch app, tap General, then Date & Time, and toggle 24-Hour Time on or off depending on what you prefer.

Key Takeaways

  • The 12-hour or 24-hour time format is controlled in the Watch app under General > Date & Time, not in the clock face settings.
  • You change which clock face appears on your watch screen through the Watch app's Clock tab, where you can preview each option before explore it.
  • Some clock faces let you customize complications—the small data windows that show weather, activity, or calendar info—by tapping and holding the face on your watch.
  • The time format you choose in Date & Time applies to all clock faces on that watch.

Switching between 12-hour and 24-hour time

Open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap the General tab. Scroll down to Date & Time. You'll see a toggle for 24-Hour Time. Turn it on if you want military-style time (13:00 instead of 1:00 PM), or turn it off to see standard 12-hour format with AM and PM.

This change takes effect when ready on your watch. If you have multiple Apple Watches paired to the same iPhone, each watch has its own time format setting, so you can set them differently if you want.

Choosing a different clock face

Open the Watch app, tap the Clock tab at the bottom, then tap Clock Face. You'll see thumbnails of every available clock face. Tap any one to preview it on your watch in real time—the preview updates as you scroll through options, so you can see exactly how it will look.

Once you find one you like, tap Add or Set as Active (the button name depends on your watchOS version). Your watch will switch to that face when ready. You can keep multiple clock faces on your watch and swipe between them on the watch screen itself.

Customizing complications on your clock face

Many clock faces include complications—small boxes that display weather, your activity rings, calendar events, or other information. To change what appears in these boxes, tap and hold the clock face directly on your watch screen. The face will enter edit mode and show small circles or boxes around each complication.

Tap any complication circle to see what apps you can add there. Swipe left or right to browse options, then tap to select one. When you're done, tap the watch screen away from the face to save your changes. Not all clock faces support complications, so this option won't appear on every face.

Adjusting brightness and text size for your clock

If your clock face is hard to read, check your watch's display settings. On your watch, open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, and adjust the brightness slider. You can also enable Increase Contrast to make text sharper against the background.

Text size is controlled by the clock face itself—some faces let you adjust it through the edit mode (tap and hold the face), while others have a fixed size. If a particular face is too small or too large, try switching to a different one that offers size customization.

Syncing time format across your devices

Your Apple Watch pulls the time from your paired iPhone, so if you change the time format on your watch, it won't affect your iPhone's display. The two devices can show different time formats without any problem—your watch might display 24-hour time while your iPhone shows 12-hour time.

If you want them to match, you'll need to change the format on your iPhone separately. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time on your iPhone and toggle 24-Hour Time there as well. This is optional and purely a matter of preference.

Troubleshooting when changes don't appear

If you changed the time format or clock face and it didn't show up on your watch, force close the Watch app on your iPhone. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or down from the top, depending on your iPhone model) to open the app switcher, find the Watch app, and swipe it away. Then reopen it and check again.

If the watch still shows the old format, restart your watch. Press and hold the side button until you see the power-off slider, then slide to power off. Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears. Once it restarts, the new settings should be active.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different time formats on different clock faces?

No. The 24-hour or 12-hour setting applies to all clock faces on your watch at once. You can switch between different clock faces, but they'll all show the same time format. If you want to change the format, you have to change it for the entire watch.

Why does my clock face look different than the preview in the Watch app?

The preview in the Watch app shows the face at full brightness and may look slightly different depending on your watch's actual brightness setting and the time of day. Tap and hold the face on your watch to enter edit mode and see exactly how it looks in real use, then adjust brightness if needed.

Can I create a custom clock face?

You can't design a completely custom face, but you can customize most built-in faces by changing complications, colors, and styling options. Tap and hold any clock face on your watch to see what adjustments that particular face allows. Some faces offer more customization than others.

What if my watch shows the wrong time even after I changed the format?

Your watch gets the time from your iPhone, so if it's showing the wrong time, check that your iPhone's time is correct. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time on your iPhone and make sure Set Automatically is turned on. If your iPhone's time is wrong, your watch will be too.