Where to find the lock screen time settings

The time on your iPhone lock screen is controlled by your device's system time, not a separate lock screen setting. You cannot change how the time displays on the lock screen itself — it will always show your current time in the format your iPhone uses. What you can change is the time zone your phone uses, which shifts what time appears, or the 12-hour versus 24-hour format the entire phone displays time in.

If the time showing on your lock screen is straightforward wrong, the fastest fix is to let your iPhone set the time automatically. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time, then turn on Set Automatically. Your phone will sync to your carrier's network time and correct itself within seconds.

Key Takeaways

  • The lock screen time cannot be customized in appearance — it always displays your device's current time in your chosen format.
  • If the time is wrong, turn on Set Automatically in Settings > General > Date & Time to sync with your carrier's time.
  • You can change the time zone your phone uses by going to Settings > General > Date & Time and selecting a different location.
  • To switch between 12-hour and 24-hour time across your entire phone, toggle 24-Hour Time in Settings > General > Date & Time.
  • The lock screen will when ready reflect any changes you make to time format or time zone.

Changing your time zone

If you travel or move to a different time zone and your lock screen time is now incorrect, you need to update your phone's time zone setting. Open Settings, tap General, then Date & Time. You will see a field labeled Time Zone with your current location listed.

Tap the time zone field and type the name of a city in your new time zone — for example, "Denver" for Mountain Time or "London" for GMT. Your phone will show matching cities as you type. Select the one closest to your location. The lock screen time will update when ready to reflect the new zone.

If Set Automatically is already on, your phone may have already corrected the time zone when you moved, especially if you have location services enabled. Check the current setting before making changes — you may find it is already correct.

Switching between 12-hour and 24-hour time

Your iPhone displays time in either 12-hour format (with AM and PM) or 24-hour format (military time, where 1 PM shows as 13:00). This setting affects your entire phone, including the lock screen. Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and look for the toggle labeled 24-Hour Time.

Turn the toggle on to switch to 24-hour format, or turn it off to return to 12-hour format. The lock screen will show the new format when ready. This change also affects the time display in your status bar, in notifications, and in any app that shows the system time.

Why your lock screen time might be wrong

If the time on your lock screen does not match the actual time, the most common cause is that Set Automatically is turned off. This setting tells your phone to sync with your carrier's network time rather than relying on its internal clock, which can drift over time.

A second cause is that you are in a different time zone than your phone thinks you are. This happens most often after traveling — your phone may not have updated its location automatically. Check both Set Automatically and your Time Zone setting in Settings > General > Date & Time.

If both are correct and the time is still wrong, restart your iPhone. Hold down the side button and either volume button, then slide to power off. Wait 10 seconds, then hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears. This resets your phone's connection to the network and often corrects time sync issues.

When your phone refuses to update the time

Occasionally an iPhone will not update its time even with Set Automatically on. This usually means your phone has lost its connection to your carrier's network or to a reliable time source. Check that you have cellular service or are connected to Wi-Fi — your phone needs one or the other to fetch the correct time.

If you have service but the time is still stuck, try turning Airplane Mode on and off. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen (or up from the bottom on older iPhones) to open Control Center, tap the airplane icon to turn it on, wait five seconds, then tap it again to turn it off. This forces your phone to reconnect to the network and often triggers a time update.

Customizing what appears on your lock screen

While you cannot change the time display itself, you can customize other elements of your lock screen. On iPhone X and newer, you can add widgets, change the wallpaper, and adjust the color and style of the time text. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Lock Screen, or long-press your lock screen and tap Customize.

From the customize screen, you can tap the time area to change its color, font weight, or style. You can also add widgets below the time that show weather, calendar events, or other information. These changes are purely visual and do not affect what time is actually displayed — only how it looks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide the time from my lock screen?

No. The time is a core part of the lock screen and cannot be removed. You can customize its appearance — color, font style, and weight — but the time itself will always display. If you want the lock screen to show less information, you can remove widgets or simplify your wallpaper, but the time will remain.

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

Your iPhone, computer, and watch may be set to different time zones or may have synced at different moments. Check that all devices are set to the same time zone in their settings. If they are, restart the device that is showing the wrong time to force it to resync with the network.

Does changing the lock screen time affect my alarms or calendar?

No. Your alarms and calendar events are tied to your phone's actual time and time zone, not to how the lock screen displays it. If you change your time zone, your alarms and events will shift with it automatically — a 9 AM alarm in New York becomes a 6 AM alarm if you change your phone's zone to Los Angeles.

What if Set Automatically is grayed out?

This usually means you do not have a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Your phone needs one to fetch the correct time from the network. Connect to Wi-Fi or move to an area with cellular service, and the toggle should become active. If it remains grayed out after reconnecting, restart your phone.