It happens to everyone eventually. You glance at your phone and realize it’s three minutes fast, or worse, you’ve somehow landed in a different time zone while sitting on your couch in Ohio. It’s annoying. It messes with your alarms, your calendar invites, and basically your entire sense of reality. Most people assume the phone just "knows" what time it is because of some magic satellite link, and usually, it does. But when it doesn't? Knowing how to update time on iPhone becomes the most important thing in your world for about five minutes.
The reality is that iOS is usually rock-solid with its Network Time Protocol (NTP) syncing, but software bugs, carrier glitches, or even a weird VPN setting can throw the whole thing out of whack. Sometimes you just want to set it manually because you're one of those people who likes to be ten minutes early for everything. Whatever the reason, fixing it is actually pretty straightforward, though Apple hides the toggle deeper than it probably needs to be.
Why your iPhone clock is lying to you
Before we dig into the buttons you need to mash, let's talk about why this happens. Your iPhone doesn't have a tiny grandfather clock inside. It relies on a combination of your GPS location and the cellular towers owned by companies like Verizon or AT&T. If you’re in an area with spotty service, or if you’ve recently toggled Airplane Mode, the "handshake" between your phone and the tower might have failed.
There's also the "Greyed Out" nightmare.
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You go to change the time and the button is literally unclickable. This usually happens because of Screen Time restrictions. If you have "Share Across Devices" turned on or if a parent has set limits on the phone, the ability to change the date and time is often locked down to prevent kids from bypassing app limits by changing the calendar. It’s a clever trick for a 12-year-old, but a massive headache for an adult just trying to get to work on time.
The quick fix: How to update time on iPhone via Settings
Most of the time, you just need to nudge the software. To get started, you're going to want to find that silver gear icon—the Settings app.
Once you're in there, scroll down a bit until you see General. Tap that. Now, look for Date & Time. It’s usually tucked between "Transfer or Reset iPhone" and "Keyboard."
Here is the secret sauce: the Set Automatically toggle.
If it’s already on, turn it off. Wait three seconds. Turn it back on. This forces the iPhone to ping the nearest time server and refresh its data. If you’re trying to set a custom time, leave that toggle off. Once it’s off, a blue date and time will appear underneath. Tap that, and you can scroll through the wheel to pick whatever time you want. It’s kinda satisfying to spin those wheels, honestly.
What if the time zone is wrong?
Sometimes the hours are right but the "Time Zone" field says "Cupertino" while you’re standing in London. This usually means your Location Services are acting up. Your iPhone needs to know where it is on the planet to assign the correct offset from GMT.
Go back to your main Settings menu.
Privacy & Security.
Location Services.
Scroll all the way to the bottom—it’s a long trek—and tap System Services.
Make sure Setting Time Zone is toggled to green.
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If that was off, your phone was essentially flying blind. Turning it on should fix the drift almost instantly. If it doesn't, a hard restart (Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold the Power Button until the Apple logo appears) usually clears the cache that's holding onto the old, wrong data.
Dealing with the "Greyed Out" toggle
If you looked at those instructions and realized you can’t even tap the "Set Automatically" button, don't panic. You aren't locked out of your phone forever.
As mentioned, this is almost always a Screen Time issue.
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Screen Time.
- Look for Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- If this is on, you might need to find the specific "Location Services" or "Account Changes" section and set them to Allow.
Honestly, the easiest way to deal with this is just to turn off Screen Time temporarily, fix the clock, and turn it back on. It’s a bit of a loop-de-loop, but it works. Another culprit could be a "Management Profile." If your iPhone is a work phone, your IT department might have installed a profile that prevents you from changing the time. They do this so you can't fudge your hours or bypass security certificates that rely on time-stamping. If that's the case, you're gonna have to talk to the IT guy.
Apple Watch and the time sync ripple effect
The interesting thing about learning how to update time on iPhone is that it doesn't just affect the phone. If you're wearing an Apple Watch, that watch is a mirror. It doesn't keep its own independent time in the traditional sense; it leeches off your iPhone's data.
If your phone is wrong, your watch is wrong.
However, there is a cool "Watch only" feature for people who are chronically late. You can actually set the watch face to show a time that is ahead of the actual time without changing the system time on the iPhone. You do this on the Watch itself by going to Settings -> Clock -> +0 min. You can bump it up by 15 minutes if you really struggle with punctuality. The phone stays on the "real" time so your GPS and emails aren't messed up, but your wrist tells you that you're late.
When to go to the Genius Bar
If you’ve tried toggling "Set Automatically," you’ve reset your location settings, you’ve checked Screen Time, and your iPhone still loses time—like it’s drifting five minutes every hour—you might have a hardware problem.
Every iPhone has a crystal oscillator. It’s a tiny component that vibrates at a specific frequency to keep time. It’s rare, but these can fail. If the hardware is failing, no amount of software toggling will save you. You’ll notice the time gets worse whenever you’re off Wi-Fi or in Airplane Mode. At that point, it's time to let the pros at Apple take a look, because your "internal clock" is literally broken.
Actionable Steps to Fix Your Clock Now
If you're staring at a wrong clock right now, do this exact sequence:
- Check your internet: Toggle Wi-Fi off and back on to make sure you have a live connection to a time server.
- The Toggle Trick: Go to Settings > General > Date & Time. Flip "Set Automatically" off and then back on.
- Privacy Check: Ensure Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Setting Time Zone is enabled.
- Force a Refresh: If the time is still wrong, turn on Airplane Mode for 30 seconds, then turn it off. This forces a new handshake with the cellular tower.
- Update iOS: Occasionally, Apple releases a carrier settings update specifically to fix time-syncing bugs. Check Settings > General > Software Update just in case.
By following these steps, you’ll ensure your device is perfectly synced with the atomic clocks that run the world. No more missed meetings or late-night alarms going off at the wrong time. Your iPhone is a powerful tool, but even the best tech needs a manual nudge once in a while to stay on track.