Where to find the date and time settings

Your Mac's date and time controls live in System Settings, not buried in a submenu. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, select System Settings, then click General in the left sidebar. From there, select Date & Time.

You'll see the current date and time displayed at the top of the window, along with your time zone. Below that are the controls you need to change either one. The exact layout depends on whether your Mac is running macOS Ventura, Sonoma, or an earlier version, but the principle is the same across all recent versions.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings, go to General, then Date & Time to access all date and time controls in one place.
  • Turn off "Set date and time automatically" if you want to manually change the date or time instead of letting your Mac sync with the internet.
  • Your time zone setting affects how your Mac displays time, so check it if the clock shows the wrong hour even when the date is correct.
  • Most Macs keep accurate time by syncing with Apple's servers, so you rarely need to change the date or time manually.

Turning off automatic date and time

By default, your Mac automatically sets the date and time by connecting to Apple's time servers over the internet. This is why your clock stays accurate without you doing anything. If you want to change the date or time manually, you first need to turn off this automatic setting.

Look for the toggle labeled "Set date and time automatically" and click it to turn it off. Once you do, the date and time fields below will become editable instead of grayed out. You can now click into each field and type a new value.

Manually setting the date

After you've turned off automatic syncing, click the date field and type the date you want. The format is usually MM/DD/YYYY (month, day, year), though your Mac may accept other formats depending on your region settings. For example, to set the date to March 15, 2024, you would type 03/15/2024.

If you're not sure of the exact format your Mac expects, try typing the date the way you normally write it—most Macs are flexible enough to understand common variations. If the field rejects your entry, try the numeric format with forward slashes.

Manually setting the time

The time field works the same way. Click it and type the time in 24-hour format (also called military time) or 12-hour format with AM/PM, depending on your Mac's settings. For example, 14:30 means 2:30 p.m., and 02:30 PM means the same thing.

If your Mac is set to display time in 12-hour format in the menu bar, the Date & Time settings will usually accept both formats. Type the time, and if your Mac doesn't understand it, try the other format.

Checking and changing your time zone

Even if the date is correct, the time can be wrong if your time zone is set incorrectly. Look for the "Time zone" dropdown menu in the Date & Time settings. Click it to see a list of all available time zones, organized by region and city.

Find your location in the list and click it. Your Mac will when ready update the displayed time to match that zone. If you travel frequently or work across multiple time zones, you can change this setting whenever you move to a new region.

Turning automatic syncing back on

Once you've finished making manual changes, you can turn the automatic setting back on. Click the "Set date and time automatically" toggle again to re-enable it. Your Mac will reconnect to Apple's time servers and update to the correct date and time.

Most people should leave this setting on all the time. Your Mac will stay accurate without any effort on your part, and you won't have to remember to update it when you travel or when daylight saving time changes.

When your Mac won't keep the correct time

If your Mac keeps reverting to the wrong date or time even with automatic syncing turned on, the problem is usually a dead or dying internal battery called the CMOS battery. This small coin-shaped battery keeps the date and time accurate when your Mac is powered off. When it fails, your Mac forgets the date and time every time you shut it down.

If this happens, your Mac needs service—this is not something you can fix yourself without opening the machine. Contact Apple Support or take your Mac to an authorized repair shop. In the meantime, you can manually set the date and time each time you start up, but the real fix requires replacing the battery.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

If automatic syncing is still turned on, your Mac will override your manual changes within a few seconds. Make sure you've clicked the toggle to turn off "Set date and time automatically" before you try to change the time. Once it's off, your changes will stick until you turn the setting back on.

What's the difference between 12-hour and 24-hour time format?

12-hour format uses AM and PM to distinguish morning from afternoon (1:00 AM to 11:59 AM, then 12:00 PM to 11:59 PM). 24-hour format numbers the hours 0 to 23, so 14:00 is 2:00 PM and 23:30 is 11:30 PM. Your Mac can display either format in the menu bar, and you can change this in the same Date & Time settings.

Can I set different time zones for different apps?

No. Your Mac has one system-wide time zone setting that all apps use. If you need to track time in multiple zones, use a world clock app like the built-in Clock app, which lets you add multiple time zones to a list without changing your system setting.

Does changing the date and time affect my files or backups?

Changing the date and time can confuse file timestamps and Time Machine backups, so avoid it unless necessary. If you do change the date, turn automatic syncing back on as soon as possible so your Mac returns to the correct time. This helps prevent backup and file organization problems.