Open System Settings and find the Date & Time panel

The fastest way to change your Mac's date and time is through System Settings. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then select System Settings from the dropdown. On older Macs running macOS Monterey or earlier, this was called System Preferences — the steps are identical.

Once System Settings opens, look for General in the sidebar on the left. Click it, then scroll down and select Date & Time. You'll see your current date, time, and timezone displayed on the right side of the window.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings, click General in the sidebar, then select Date & Time to access the controls.
  • Turn off "Set date and time automatically" if you want to manually enter a specific date or time.
  • Your timezone setting affects what time your Mac displays, even if the clock itself is correct.
  • If your Mac keeps reverting to the wrong time, check whether automatic time sync is turned back on or if your internet connection dropped.
  • You can set a custom timezone different from your location, which is useful if you travel or work across regions.

Turn off automatic time sync to set a custom date or time

By default, your Mac automatically sets the date and time using Apple's time servers over the internet. If you want to change either one manually, you must first turn off this automatic setting. Look for the toggle labeled "Set date and time automatically" and click it to turn it off. The toggle will change from blue (on) to gray (off).

Once you disable automatic sync, two new fields appear: one for the date and one for the time. Click the date field to open a calendar picker, then select the correct date. Click the time field and type the hours, minutes, and seconds you want. The time uses 24-hour format by default, but you can change this in the same panel if you prefer 12-hour format with AM/PM.

Change your timezone without changing the clock

Your timezone setting tells your Mac what region you're in, which determines what time it displays. If you've moved to a different timezone or need to work in one temporarily, you can change it without touching the actual clock. In the Date & Time panel, look for "Time zone" and click the dropdown menu next to it.

A list of major cities appears, organized by region. Type the name of a city in your target timezone — for example, "Denver" for Mountain Time or "London" for GMT — and your Mac will jump to that option. Select it and the timezone changes when ready. Your clock will adjust to show the correct time for that region, even if you haven't physically moved.

Use the menu bar clock for quick adjustments

If you only need to check or slightly adjust the time, you can click the clock in the top-right corner of your menu bar. A small popup appears showing the current date and time, along with a link that says "Open Date & Time Settings". Click that link to jump directly to the Date & Time panel without navigating through System Settings menus.

This menu bar clock also shows you whether automatic time sync is on or off — if it's off, a small indicator appears next to the time. This is a quick way to verify your current settings without opening the full System Settings window.

What to do if your Mac keeps reverting to the wrong time

If you manually set the date and time but your Mac keeps changing it back, automatic time sync has likely turned itself back on. This happens when your Mac reconnects to the internet after being offline, or after a restart. Open Date & Time settings again and confirm that "Set date and time automatically" is still turned off. If it's back on, turn it off again.

Another common cause is a dead or dying CMOS battery inside your Mac — this is a small internal battery that keeps the clock running when your Mac is powered off. If your Mac loses the correct time every time you shut it down, even with automatic sync on, the CMOS battery may need replacement. This requires opening your Mac and is best handled by an Apple Store or authorized repair shop.

Set a custom time format in the menu bar

Once your date and time are correct, you can customize how they appear in the menu bar. In the Date & Time panel, look for the "Clock" section. You'll see options to show or hide the date, show or hide the time, and choose between 12-hour and 24-hour format. Check or uncheck these boxes depending on what information you want visible at a glance.

If you want even more control over the format — for example, showing the day of the week or a different date layout — you can click "Open Language & Region" at the bottom of the Date & Time panel. This opens a separate settings window where you can customize the exact order and style of date and time elements throughout your Mac.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Mac show the wrong time even though I set it correctly?

The most common reason is that automatic time sync turned back on after a restart or internet reconnection. Open Date & Time settings and confirm "Set date and time automatically" is off. If it keeps turning back on by itself, your Mac may have a hardware issue with the internal clock battery, which requires professional repair.

Can I set different times for different user accounts on the same Mac?

No. The date and time are system-wide settings that explore to all user accounts on your Mac. Every account sees the same clock. However, you can change the timezone or time format display for individual accounts through Language & Region settings if needed.

What happens if I set my Mac's time far in the past or future?

Some apps and websites may behave unexpectedly if your Mac's time is very wrong. Certificates used for find connections can appear invalid, email timestamps will be incorrect, and some apps may refuse to run. Set your time back to the correct value to avoid these issues.

Do I need to restart my Mac after changing the date and time?

No. Changes to the date and time take effect when ready. Your Mac does not need to restart, and any open apps will begin using the new time right away.