The quickest way to change military time on your iPhone

Military time (also called 24-hour time) displays hours from 00:00 to 23:59 instead of the 12-hour AM/PM format. On an iPhone, you switch between these two formats in the Settings app under Display & Brightness. The change affects your lock screen, home screen, and most apps that show the time, though some third-party apps may not follow this setting.

The process takes about 30 seconds and requires no restart. Once you change it, the time display updates when ready across your device.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then toggle the 24-Hour Time switch on or off depending on which format you want.
  • The change applies to your lock screen, home screen clock, and the status bar at the top of your screen.
  • Some third-party apps (like certain calendar or messaging apps) may still show 12-hour time if they have their own time format settings.
  • You can switch back to 12-hour time at any moment using the same Settings menu.

Step-by-step: Turning on 24-hour time

Start by opening the Settings app on your home screen. Tap Display & Brightness from the main menu.

Scroll down until you see 24-Hour Time. Tap the toggle switch next to it to turn it on. The switch will turn green when active. Your clock will now display military time across your device.

If you ever want to return to 12-hour time, follow the same steps and toggle the switch off. There is no confirmation message — the change happens when ready.

Where the change shows up on your iPhone

Once you enable 24-hour time, it appears on your lock screen clock, your home screen clock widget (if you have one), and in the status bar at the very top of your screen. The time in the Control Center also switches to 24-hour format.

Calendar events, reminders, and alarms will display in 24-hour time as well. However, if you have set alarms using the Clock app, they will still ring at the time you originally set them for — changing the format does not alter when they ring.

What happens with third-party apps

Many apps built into iOS (Mail, Messages, Notes) respect your 24-hour time setting automatically. However, some third-party apps from the App Store may ignore this setting and continue to show 12-hour time with AM/PM.

If a specific app is still showing 12-hour time after you change your iPhone setting, check that app's own settings menu. Some calendar apps, messaging platforms, and productivity tools have their own time format toggle that overrides your system setting. Look for a "Time Format" or "Display" option within the app itself.

Changing time format for specific regions or languages

Your iPhone's time format is also tied to your region and language settings. If you change your region in Settings > General > Language & Region, it may reset your time format preference to match that region's standard (for example, switching to a European region often defaults to 24-hour time).

If you want to keep your current region but override the time format, the Display & Brightness setting takes priority. After changing your region, go back to Display & Brightness and set your preferred time format again.

Troubleshooting: The toggle is not working

If the 24-Hour Time toggle appears grayed out or does not respond, restart your iPhone. Press and hold the side button and either volume button, then slide to power off. Wait 10 seconds, then press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears.

If the toggle still does not work after a restart, check that you are running the latest iOS version. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates. Outdated iOS versions occasionally have bugs that prevent settings from changing.

How military time differs from standard 12-hour time

In 12-hour format, the day repeats twice: 12:00 AM to 11:59 AM, then 12:00 PM to 11:59 PM. Military time runs continuously from 00:00 (midnight) through 23:59 (one minute before midnight), so there is no AM or PM label needed.

Common conversions: 1:00 PM becomes 13:00, 6:30 PM becomes 18:30, and 12:00 AM (midnight) becomes 00:00. Your iPhone displays military time with a colon between hours and minutes, so you will see "14:30" rather than "1430" as it might appear in military documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing to 24-hour time affect my alarms?

No. Your alarms will still ring at the time you set them for. Changing the time format only changes how the time is displayed on screen, not when events actually occur. If you set an alarm for 6:30 AM, it will ring at 6:30 AM whether your display shows "06:30" or "6:30 AM".

Can I use 24-hour time on my lock screen but 12-hour time elsewhere?

No. The 24-Hour Time setting in Display & Brightness applies system-wide to all built-in iOS apps and the lock screen. You cannot split the format between different parts of your phone. However, individual third-party apps may have their own time format settings that differ from your system setting.

Does military time use a colon between hours and minutes?

Yes. Military time on an iPhone displays with a colon, like "14:30" for 2:30 PM. Some military contexts use no colon (written as "1430"), but your iPhone always includes the colon in both 12-hour and 24-hour formats.

What if my iPhone is set to a language that does not support 24-hour time?

Most modern languages support both time formats. If you have selected an uncommon language or a very old iOS version, the 24-Hour Time toggle may not appear in Display & Brightness. Updating to the latest iOS version usually resolves this. If it persists, try changing your region to a country that uses 24-hour time, then switch back to your preferred region.

Will the change sync across my other Apple devices?

If you use the same Apple ID across multiple devices and have iCloud sync turned on, your time format preference may sync to your iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. However, each device also has its own Display & Brightness settings, so you can override the synced setting on any individual device if you prefer a different format there.