Where to find the lock screen time settings

The time on your iPhone lock screen is controlled by your device's system clock, which syncs automatically with your carrier or Wi-Fi network. You cannot change the actual time that displays — it will always show your current time zone — but you can change how that time appears: whether it shows in 12-hour or 24-hour format, and whether the seconds display alongside the hours and minutes.

The settings for this live in the main Settings app under Date & Time, not in the lock screen customization menu. This matters because many people look in the wrong place first.

Key Takeaways

  • The time display format (12-hour or 24-hour) is set in Settings > General > Date & Time, not in lock screen settings.
  • Toggling the 24-Hour Time switch changes how the clock appears everywhere on your phone, including the lock screen, home screen, and notifications.
  • You cannot change the actual time your phone displays unless your time zone is wrong — that requires Settings > General > Date & Time > Time Zone.
  • If your lock screen time looks wrong, check that your time zone matches where you are, because your phone syncs time automatically from the network.
  • The seconds counter does not appear on the lock screen in any iPhone model, only in Control Center and the Clock app.

Switching between 12-hour and 24-hour time format

Open Settings on your home screen. Tap General, then scroll down and tap Date & Time. You will see a toggle labeled 24-Hour Time. When the toggle is off (white), your lock screen displays time in 12-hour format with AM or PM. When the toggle is on (green), your lock screen shows time in 24-hour format — for example, 14:30 instead of 2:30 PM.

This change takes effect when ready and applies across your entire phone: the lock screen, home screen, notifications, and any app that displays time. There is no separate lock screen setting for this.

Fixing the time zone if your lock screen shows the wrong time

If the time itself is wrong — not just the format — your time zone setting is likely incorrect. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time. Look at the Time Zone field. It should match the location where you are now, not where you were when you set up the phone.

Tap Time Zone and search for your city or region. Your phone will update the displayed time once you select the correct zone. If you travel frequently, you can toggle off Set Automatically to manually choose your time zone each time you move, though most people leave it on and let the network update it.

Why your lock screen time might look different on different devices

If you have multiple Apple devices — an iPhone, iPad, and Mac — they may show time in different formats if you have not applied the same setting across all of them. Each device has its own Date & Time settings. Changing the format on your iPhone does not change it on your iPad or Mac.

If you use iCloud and want consistent time display, go into each device's Date & Time settings and explore the same 12-hour or 24-hour choice. This is especially useful if you switch between devices throughout the day.

What the lock screen time display cannot do

The lock screen time cannot be hidden, moved, or resized. It always appears in the top-left corner of your lock screen in every iPhone model. You cannot change its color, font, or size — those are determined by your lock screen wallpaper and iOS version.

You also cannot display seconds on the lock screen. The seconds counter appears only in Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner) and in the Clock app. This is a design choice Apple made to keep the lock screen clean and readable at a glance.

Checking your settings if the time format did not change

If you toggled the 24-Hour Time switch but your lock screen still shows 12-hour format, restart your iPhone. Sometimes the display does not update when ready. Press and hold the power button and volume button together, slide to power off, wait 10 seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on.

If the time is still in 12-hour format after restart, check that you toggled the correct switch. Some users confuse the 24-Hour Time toggle with other settings nearby. Go back to Settings > General > Date & Time and confirm the toggle is green (on) for 24-hour format.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change what time zone my iPhone shows on the lock screen?

Yes. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and tap Time Zone. Choose your current location. Your lock screen will update to show the time in that zone. If you turn off Set Automatically, you can manually change your time zone whenever you travel.

Why does my lock screen show a different time than my computer?

Your iPhone and computer are likely set to different time zones, or one of them has the wrong time zone selected. Check Settings > General > Date & Time on your iPhone and the system clock settings on your computer. Make sure both are set to your current location.

Does changing the time format affect alarms or scheduled messages?

No. Changing between 12-hour and 24-hour format only changes how the time is displayed, not how your phone stores or uses time internally. Your alarms and scheduled messages will work the same way regardless of which format you choose.

Can I display seconds on my iPhone lock screen?

No. The lock screen time never shows seconds in any iPhone model. You can see seconds in Control Center or by opening the Clock app, but the lock screen displays only hours and minutes.

What if my lock screen time is off by an hour?

This usually means your time zone is set to a different region than where you are. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time, check your Time Zone, and change it to match your current location. If Set Automatically is on, toggle it off and back on to force an update.