Is your Apple Watch not changing its time, or is it showing the wrong time? Either way, having the incorrect time on your Apple Watch is annoying.
We have a solution for every occurrence. Keep reading to learn how to fix this issue.
Before troubleshooting, don’t forget to check for any updates for your watch and paired iPhone and update them if one is available! This often fixes minor issues like this.
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Suggested reading:
- How to block unknown or spam callers from your child’s Apple Watch?
- How do I set device priority for calculating steps and other activity on iPhone and Apple Watch?
- How to block unknown or spam callers from your child’s Apple Watch?
How to change time from paired iPhone
Your Apple Watch gets its time from the paired iPhone location settings.
So, your best bet to ensure your Apple Watch displays the correct time is to review and change the time from your paired iPhone. Follow these steps.
Make sure you turn on location services
Location services are the most important setting when you want to correct your device’s display time.
- Go to the Settings app on your iPhone to ensure location services are enabled.
- Then scroll down to Privacy and tap that.
- Select Location Services. In the Location Services settings, scroll to Apple Watch Faces and select it.
- Make sure While Using the App is the selected setting.
Check if you have Bluetooth on
You should also ensure Bluetooth on your iPhone is on so your Apple Watch can connect.
To turn on Bluetooth, go to the Settings app and select Bluetooth. Tap the slider button and make sure it lights up green. When it is green, your iPhone’s Bluetooth is on, and your Watch actively connects to your iPhone.
To check your Apple Watch’s Bluetooth connection, swipe up on your Watch Face to bring up the Control Center. At the top of the screen, look for a green light in the shape of a phone.
When you tap that, it should tell you if your iPhone is connected to your Apple Watch. If it is connected, then your Bluetooth is working fine.
Restart iPhone and Apple Watch 
Restarting your devices is always the best first step to take whenever you experience any technical glitches.
Hold the side button and slide the power off button to restart your Apple Watch.
To restart your iPhone, hold down the side button and one of the volume buttons until the Slide to Power Off button appears.
When restarting your Apple Watch or iPhone, you should turn your device off for a minute or two and then turn it back on.
Make sure your iPhone and Apple Watch are nearby
Your Apple Watch may display the wrong time or time zone because your iPhone isn’t close enough to your Watch.
If they’re not nearby, your iPhone won’t be able to connect to your Apple Watch. Make sure they’re close by to ensure it updates to the correct time.
Check iPhone’s date and time settings
If the time on your iPhone and Apple Watch is showing the wrong time or not changing, you should check your iPhone’s date and time settings.
- To check your date and time settings, open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down to General and tap it.
- Then click on Date & Time.
When you’re in the date and time settings, you can either have it set to change or choose a time zone automatically.
Try toggling Set Automatically off and back on–this often jump-starts your Watch and iPhone to connect to Apple Servers to get the updated time.
How to change time from Apple Watch
If you want to change the time directly from your Apple Watch, there are some ways to fix it. Here’s how.
Check the Face Display Time Ahead setting
The Apple Watch has a setting called Face Display Time Ahead. In this setting, you can set your Apple Watch clock face to a later time by no more than an hour.
So if your time is off by minutes, this could be why.
So, check if you set your Apple Watch minutes ahead of your paired iPhone. If you do not want the Watch’s time ahead, set it at +0 minutes.
- To check this setting, go to the Settings app on your Apple Watch and scroll down to tap Clock.
- If it shows anything other than 0, tap the minutes and turn the Digital Crown, so the + number is zero, then tap Set.
Make sure the time is actually off on your Apple Watch Face
Okay, it might sound silly, but it is important to double-check if the time is off on your Apple Watch Face. Some users have made this mistake before!
Make sure you’re not in another time app like world clock or a sunset/sunrise time app instead.
How to change the time when traveling to different time zones
If you’re planning on traveling to another time zone and want to ensure your devices are at the right time, there are plenty of ways to be prepared.
Automatically connect to local time zone
If you want to have your iPhone and Apple Watch automatically adjust to the local time zone, you can set that by going to your iPhone’s date and time settings.
Open the Settings app. Scroll down to General and tap it. Then click on Date & Time. To set automatically, make sure the slider button lights up green. When it is green, that means that the setting is on.
I also like the 24-hour Clock when traveling since some countries use this, and you never get confused between AM and PM.
For this to work correctly, you must also have Location Services on. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone to ensure location services are enabled.
- Then scroll down to Privacy and tap that.
- Select Location Services.
- When in the Location Services settings, scroll down to Apple Watch Faces and select it.
- Make sure While Using the App is, the selected setting and toggle on Precise Location.
Select a specific time zone in the settings
If you don’t want your iPhone or Apple Watch to change its time automatically, you can select a particular time zone in the date and time settings.
Open the Settings app. Scroll down to General and tap it. Then click on Date & Time. To select a specific time zone, there are two steps.
- First, you have to make sure Set Automatically is turned off. Once you toggle the button, you can select which time zone you want.
- Tap on Time Zone and type which time zone you want. Type in whatever city you want, and select it.
Apple only offers a certain amount of cities you can choose from. Once you tap your selected city, your device changes its time zone’s location and the current time.
How to update a loved one’s Apple Watch’s time with Family Setup
If you manage an Apple Watch for a child or an elderly parent, you can update their device for them from your iPhone.
As long as you set up their devices by using Apple Family Sharing.
How to set up an Apple Watch for a loved one by using Apple Family Sharing 
First, turn on the Apple Watch and pair it with your iPhone. Go to the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and open the All Watches tab. Then select Add Watch.
When the Apple Watch setup appears, click Set Up for a Family Member. Then click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions to continue setting up the Apple Watch.
See this article for a step-by-step on setting up a family’s Apple Watch for a child or another family member that does not have an iPhone.
After you set up your loved one’s Apple Watch, you can manage their Apple Watch directly from your iPhone.
How to change the time on a loved one’s Apple Watch that’s setup using Apple’s Family Setup
To change the time on a loved one’s Apple Watch, open their watch settings on the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
Go to the Watch app and choose All Watches. Tap a watch under Family Watches and scroll down to click on General. Then select Language & Region and choose Change Region. This feature changes the Apple Watch’s time zone.
If you are having issues attempting to fix the time, check the Screen Time settings on their Apple Watch.
- Open the Watch app on the iPhone that your family uses to manage Apple Watches for your child or another family member that does not have a paired iPhone.
- Tap All Watches.
- Scroll down to Family Watches and choose your child’s Watch.
- Choose Screen Time and tap Screen Time Settings. Then review your choices and make changes or set it up.
You can also change Screen Time settings for your child’s Apple Watch via the Settings app on your iPhone > Screen Time and then tap your child’s name under the Family and choose your preferred settings.
Some users reported issues with the time caused by the ‘Don’t Allow Changes’ setting for Location Services. Try turning that off, then try to change the time zone again.
Temporarily turn Screen Time off for your child
If you still can’t get the correct time for your child or family member’s Apple Watch that’s set up via Apple’s Family Sharing, try turning Screen Time off.
On the iPhone you use to manage your child’s or family member’s watch, go to Settings > Screen Time and tap your child’s or family member’s name, then turn off Screen time.
Restart the child or family member’s Watch and wait to see if the time is updated. If so, go back and turn Screen Time on again.
Final thoughts
Having the time be inaccurate on your Apple Watch can be a major inconvenience. But following these tips hopefully resolves any issue you have with your Apple Watch.
Turn off airplane mode. That fixed my problem with the time being off.
Somehow working through the various instructions the correct time popped up!
Not sure which step but THANK YOU.
None of these worked.
Hi Kevin,
Try force restarting your Apple Watch by pressing both the side button and the digital crown. Keep those pressed until you see the Apple Logo on the watch’s screen.
Thank you this was so helpful. Struggled all day trying to get watch back on correct time. Your article was tremendous help.