The quickest way to change your phone's time

Open Settings on your Android phone. Scroll down and tap System (or About phone on some phones), then tap Date and time. Turn off the toggle next to Set time automatically. Now you can tap Set time and adjust the hours and minutes by tapping the numbers or using the plus and minus buttons. When you're done, tap OK or Set.

If you also need to change the date, tap Set date in the same menu and follow the same process. The date picker works the same way — tap the numbers to edit them or use the adjustment buttons.

Most Android phones keep time automatically by connecting to your carrier's network or a time server. If you turned off automatic time for a reason — like you're in a location where the network time is wrong — you can turn it back on anytime by toggling Set time automatically back on.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings > System > Date and time and turn off Set time automatically before you can change the time manually.
  • Tap Set time and use the number fields or plus and minus buttons to adjust hours and minutes.
  • You can change the date the same way by tapping Set date in the Date and time menu.
  • Turning automatic time back on will sync your phone to the network time again and override any manual changes.

Where the Date and time menu is on different Android versions

The path to Date and time varies slightly depending on which version of Android your phone runs and which manufacturer made it. On most phones running Android 12 or newer, the path is Settings > System > Date and time. On older versions or phones from Samsung, Google, or other makers, you might find it under Settings > System and updates > Date and time, or just Settings > Date and time.

If you can't find it by scrolling, use the search box at the top of Settings. Type "date and time" and the menu will appear. This works on all Android versions and saves time if your phone's layout is different from the standard.

What happens when you turn off automatic time

When Set time automatically is on, your phone pulls the correct time from your mobile carrier or a time server on the internet. This happens in the background without you doing anything. The phone also adjusts for daylight saving time automatically if your region observes it.

When you turn it off, your phone stops listening to the network and uses only the time you set manually. If you travel to a different time zone, the time won't change unless you change it yourself. This is useful if you want to keep your phone on a different time than your location, but it means you have to remember to update it if you move or if daylight saving time starts or ends.

Changing the time zone separately from the time

Your Android phone has two separate settings: the time itself and the time zone. You can change one without changing the other. In the Date and time menu, look for Select time zone or Time zone — the exact name depends on your phone. Tap it and scroll through the list to find your location, or type the name of your city to search.

If Set time automatically is on, changing the time zone won't change the actual time on your clock — the phone will still sync to the network. But if automatic time is off, changing the time zone won't affect the time you set manually either. The time zone is mostly used by your calendar, email, and other apps to show you when events happen in your location.

Why your phone's time might be wrong even after you set it

If you set the time manually and it keeps changing back, Set time automatically is probably still on. Go back to Settings > System > Date and time and make sure the toggle is off. If it's already off and the time is still changing, restart your phone — sometimes the setting doesn't take effect until you do.

If the time is correct but keeps drifting (getting a few minutes off each day), your phone's internal clock battery may be failing. This is rare on modern phones, but it happens. The only fix is to have the phone serviced by the manufacturer or a repair shop. In the meantime, turning automatic time back on will keep your clock accurate.

Using your phone's clock app to set alarms in a different time zone

If you need to set an alarm for a different time zone but don't want to change your phone's actual time, use the Clock app instead. Open Clock, tap Alarm, and create a new alarm. Some versions of the Clock app let you set the time zone for that specific alarm in the alarm details. This way the alarm goes off at the right time in another location without changing your phone's clock.

Not all Clock apps have this feature — it depends on your phone's manufacturer. If you don't see a time zone option in the alarm settings, you can still calculate the time difference and set the alarm for the right time manually. For example, if you're in Eastern time and need an alarm for Pacific time, subtract three hours from the time you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing the time affect my alarms or calendar events?

Alarms and calendar events are tied to the time on your phone, so if you change the time, they will go off or appear at different times. If you set an alarm for 7 a.m. and then change the time backward by two hours, the alarm will go off at what is now 5 a.m. on your clock. Be careful when changing the time manually, especially if you have alarms set.

Can I set the time to something that doesn't exist, like during daylight saving time?

Yes, Android will let you set the time to any hour and minute you type in, even times that don't exist during the daylight saving transition. Your phone won't stop you or warn you. If you do this by accident, just go back to Settings > System > Date and time and set it to the correct time.

What if my phone's time is wrong but I can't find the Date and time menu?

Use the search box at the top of Settings. Type "date" or "time" and the Date and time menu will appear. If search doesn't work, restart your phone and try again. If you still can't find it, turn on automatic time in Settings > System > Date and time (or wherever it is on your phone) and let the network set the time for you.

Does changing the time on my phone change the time on my other devices?

No. Each device — phone, tablet, computer, smartwatch — keeps its own time. Changing the time on your Android phone won't affect any other device. If you have a smartwatch paired with your phone, it usually syncs time with the phone, so changing the phone's time may change the watch's time too, depending on the watch's settings.