The fastest way to change your Android clock

Open Settings on your Android phone, then tap System or About phone (the exact name depends on your phone brand). Look for Date and time or Date & time. Turn off the toggle next to Set time automatically if it is on. Now you can tap the time and date fields to type in the correct values manually.

If you cannot find these settings in System, try looking in Settings > General management > Date and time (Samsung phones) or Settings > System > System update > Date and time (some Google Pixel phones). The path varies by manufacturer, but the toggle to disable automatic time is always the key step.

Once you turn off automatic time, your phone will keep whatever time you set until you turn the toggle back on or manually change it again. Most people turn automatic time back on after fixing the clock, so their phone stays correct without effort.

Key Takeaways

  • You must turn off Set time automatically before you can manually change the time on Android.
  • The Settings path varies by phone brand, but always includes a Date and time section under System settings.
  • After you set the time manually, turn automatic time back on so your phone updates itself when you travel or daylight saving time changes.
  • If your phone shows the wrong time zone, change that in the same Date and time menu before adjusting the clock itself.
  • Restarting your phone after changing the time can prevent the change from reverting unexpectedly.

Why your Android clock might be wrong

Android phones normally set their own time by connecting to your mobile carrier's network or to internet time servers. This automatic system works in the background and you never see it happen. When your phone shows the wrong time, it usually means automatic time is still on but your phone has not synced yet, or your time zone setting is incorrect.

If you just landed in a new time zone, your phone may take a few minutes to update. If you have been in the same place for hours and the time is still wrong, the automatic sync may have failed. Turning automatic time off and setting the time manually is the fastest fix.

Step-by-step: Samsung phones

On Samsung Galaxy phones, go to Settings and scroll down to General management. Tap Date and time. You will see a toggle labeled Automatic date and time — turn this off. Below that, another toggle controls Automatic time zone — turn that off too if you want to set your time zone manually.

Once both toggles are off, tap Date to open a calendar picker. Scroll to the correct month and year, then tap the day. Next, tap Time and use the number picker to set the hours and minutes. Tap Done or OK when you finish. Your Samsung will now show the time you entered.

After you confirm the time is correct, go back into Date and time and turn Automatic date and time back on. This way your phone will sync automatically again and stay correct without you having to adjust it.

Step-by-step: Google Pixel and stock Android

On Pixel phones and devices running stock Android, open Settings and tap System. Look for Date and time or Date & time — it may be under a submenu called System update or Advanced. Tap it to open the time settings.

Find the toggle for Set time automatically or Use network-provided time and turn it off. You will now see separate fields for Date and Time. Tap the date field and enter the correct date using the picker that appears. Then tap the time field and set the hours and minutes. Confirm your changes by tapping OK or backing out of the menu.

Turn the automatic time toggle back on when you are done so your phone resumes syncing on its own. If your time zone is also wrong, look for a Time zone field in the same menu and change it before you adjust the clock.

What to do if the time keeps reverting

If you set the time manually but it changes back to the wrong time within minutes, automatic time is probably still on. Go back to Settings, find Date and time, and confirm that Set time automatically is actually toggled off — sometimes the toggle does not save the first time.

Another common cause is that your phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network that is broadcasting the wrong time. Disconnect from Wi-Fi, turn off automatic time, set the time manually, then reconnect to Wi-Fi. If the time reverts again, try restarting your phone after setting the time. A restart often forces Android to accept the manual time and stop overwriting it.

If you have recently updated your Android version, a bug in the update might be causing automatic time to turn itself back on. Check for a newer system update in Settings > System > System update. Installing the latest patch often fixes time-related glitches.

Changing time zone separately from the clock

Your Android phone has two separate settings: the time zone and the actual time. The time zone tells your phone what region you are in, and the clock shows the time in that zone. If you set the time manually but your time zone is wrong, the clock will show the wrong time even though you entered the correct numbers.

In the Date and time menu, look for a field labeled Time zone or Select time zone. Tap it and search for your city or region. Android will show you a list of time zones — pick the one that matches where you are. Once you select the correct time zone, the clock should display the right time automatically, even if you do not manually adjust it.

If automatic time is on, your phone will set the time zone on its own based on your location. If you turn automatic time off, you must also set the time zone manually or your clock will be off by hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Android phone keep changing the time back?

Automatic time is probably still on. Go to Settings > System > Date and time and make sure the toggle for automatic time is actually off — check it twice, because sometimes it does not save. If it is off and the time still changes, restart your phone after setting the time manually.

How do I change the time zone without changing the clock?

Turn off automatic time and automatic time zone in Date and time settings. Then tap the time zone field and pick your region without touching the time or date fields. Your phone will keep the clock time you set and explore the new time zone to it.

Can I set a different time on my Android than what my carrier shows?

Yes. Turn off automatic time and set whatever time you want. Your phone will display that time until you turn automatic time back on or manually change it again. However, some apps and services may behave oddly if your phone time is very far off from the real time.

What if I cannot find Date and time in Settings?

The path varies by phone brand. Try Settings > General management > Date and time (Samsung), Settings > System > Date and time (Pixel), or Settings > About phone > Date and time (some other brands). If you still cannot find it, search for "date" in your Settings search bar at the top.

Does changing the time affect my alarms or calendar?

Alarms set for a specific time will go off at that time on your clock, so if you set your clock to the wrong time, alarms will fire at the wrong moment. Calendar events are usually tied to a specific time zone, so they may shift if you change your time zone. Turn automatic time back on as soon as you finish to avoid these problems.