The quickest way to change your Apple Watch time
You can change the time on your Apple Watch in two ways: through the watch itself using the Settings app, or through the iPhone it's paired with using the Watch app. The iPhone method is usually faster because you can see everything on a larger screen, but both work equally well. If your watch is set to update time automatically (the default), you'll need to turn that off first before you can set a custom time.
Most people don't need to change their watch time manually — it updates automatically when you travel across time zones or when your iPhone updates. But if you're troubleshooting a time that's stuck or incorrect, or if you need to set a specific time for testing, the steps below will get you there in under a minute.
Key Takeaways
- Your Apple Watch normally updates time automatically, so you must turn off "Set Automatically" before you can manually change it.
- The fastest method is opening the Watch app on your iPhone, tapping the Time Zone setting, and toggling off automatic time.
- If you prefer to change it directly on the watch, open Settings, scroll to Time, and tap the time display to adjust hours and minutes.
- After you manually set the time, you can turn automatic updates back on and the watch will sync with your iPhone's time again.
Changing the time through your iPhone's Watch app
Open the Watch app on your iPhone — it's the app with a black watch icon. Tap the Time Zone tab at the bottom of the screen. You'll see a toggle labeled "Set Automatically" that is currently turned on (it will be green or blue). Tap that toggle to turn it off.
Once you've turned off automatic time, a new option appears: "Time Zone." Tap on it. You'll see a list of time zones. Scroll to find your time zone and tap it. The watch will update to the correct time for that zone within a few seconds. If you need to set a time that doesn't match any standard time zone, you'll need to use the watch itself instead — the iPhone app only lets you choose from official time zones.
Changing the time directly on the Apple Watch
Press the Digital Crown (the button on the side of the watch) to open the app grid. Swipe left and right until you find the Settings app — it looks like a gear. Tap it to open Settings.
Scroll down through the menu until you see "Time." Tap it. You'll see the current time displayed. Tap on the time itself (the numbers showing hours and minutes). A dial will appear. Use the Digital Crown to scroll up or down and change the hours, then tap the minutes to adjust those. Once you've set the time you want, press the Digital Crown again to close the app and save your change.
Turning automatic time back on
After you've set your watch to the correct time, you can turn automatic updates back on so it stays in sync with your iPhone. Open the Watch app on your iPhone again, tap Time Zone, and toggle "Set Automatically" back on (it will turn green or blue). Your watch will now update its time automatically whenever your iPhone's time changes.
If you're traveling and your iPhone automatically updates to a new time zone, your watch will follow along. You won't need to do anything manually — the watch and phone stay synchronized as long as automatic time is on.
What to do if the time still won't change
If you've turned off automatic time but the watch time still won't update, restart your Apple Watch. Press and hold the side button until you see the power-off slider. Drag it to turn off the watch, wait 10 seconds, then press the side button again to turn it back on. Once it restarts, try changing the time again using either method above.
If the time changes but then reverts back to the wrong time after a few seconds, automatic time may have turned itself back on. Check the Watch app on your iPhone again and make sure the "Set Automatically" toggle is still off. Some users report this happens if their iPhone and watch lose connection briefly — keeping them close together usually prevents it.
Why your Apple Watch time might be wrong
The most common reason for an incorrect time is that automatic time is on, but your iPhone's time is set wrong. Check your iPhone's time first by opening Settings, tapping General, then Date & Time. Make sure "Set Automatically" is on there too — if it's off, your iPhone won't know the correct time, and your watch will copy the wrong time from it.
Another reason is that your watch and iPhone have lost their connection. If they're not paired or haven't synced recently, the watch might be holding onto an old time. Bring them close together and wait a few seconds for them to reconnect. You can check if they're connected by opening the Watch app on your iPhone — if you see a green dot next to your watch name at the top, they're connected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set my Apple Watch to a time that doesn't match any time zone?
Not through the iPhone Watch app — that only offers official time zones. If you need a custom time, you can set it directly on the watch using the Settings app and the Digital Crown. This is useful for testing or if you want your watch to show a time different from your actual location.
Will changing my watch time affect my iPhone's time?
No. Your Apple Watch time is separate from your iPhone time. Changing the watch won't change your phone. However, if automatic time is on, your watch will always copy whatever time your iPhone is set to, so the two will stay matched.
What happens to my alarms and reminders if I change the watch time?
Alarms and reminders are tied to the time you set, so they'll go off at the new time you've chosen. If you set your watch ahead by one hour, an alarm set for 8 a.m. will now go off at 9 a.m. on the watch's clock.
Do I need to restart my watch after changing the time?
No, the time updates immediately. You only need to restart if the time won't change at all, or if it keeps reverting back to the wrong time after you set it.
Why does my watch time keep changing back to automatic?
If your watch and iPhone are connected and syncing, the automatic time setting can turn back on if your iPhone's automatic time is on. Check both devices and make sure automatic time is off on both if you want to keep a manual time set.