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How to Change Date on iPhone

Set the date and time automatically with one setting

By Sam Costello Sam Costello Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on August 2, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email iPhone & iOS Switching from Android

What to Know

Manually set date and time: Settings > General > Date & Time > move Set Automatically slider to off/white > tap date and time > manually set date and time.Automatically set date and time: Settings > General > Date & Time > move Set Automatically slider to on/green.An incorrect date and time can cause problems: being unable to download or update apps, send texts, and more. This article explains how to automatically or manually set the date and time on your iPhone and solve problems you may encounter. Having the right date and time on your iPhone is crucial data for day-to-day life. But there's even more to it: If your date and time settings are wrong, your iPhone can have all kinds of problems.

How Do I Manually Set the Date and Time on My iPhone

While it's easier and better to have your iPhone automatically set its date and time (more on that in a minute), you can manually set it on your iPhone. To manually change the date and time, follow these steps: Tap Settings. Tap General. Tap Date & Time. Move the Set Automatically slider to off/white. Tap the date and time at the bottom of the screen. Tap the current date. Then tap Time and set the current time. You can manually set your Time Zone by tapping that menu. You can also choose 24-Hour Time by moving that slider to on/green (this option is not available in all countries or regions). It's best and easiest to let your iPhone set its date, time, and timezone. To do that, move the Set Automatically slider to on/green. With that, your phone will get the date, time zone, and local time from the Internet (in most countries, but not all). With this setting, your phone will automatically update itself when you cross into a new time zone when you travel and land in a destination whose time is different from the one you left.

Does Changing the Date on Your iPhone Mess It Up

It's fair to wonder whether changing the date and time on your iPhone can cause problems. The answer is: It depends. If you're changing the date and time to be correct, you're pretty unlikely to have problems. That said, you'll probably run into issues if your date and time settings are wrong. The issues can range from simply missing appointments to difficulties accessing Apple services. Believe it or not, things like downloading apps, updating apps, using Find My iPhone, and sending text messages all depend on the correct date and time settings (each of those links goes to troubleshooting articles on those topics).

Why Can' t I Change the Date and Time on My iPhone

You may have gotten to this article because you're having trouble changing the date and time on your iPhone. You could be having that problem for a few reasons: Screen Time is Enabled. When Screen Time restrictions are on, you can't manually change the date or time on an iPhone. That's designed to block people from getting around Screen Time's time limits by changing the date and time settings. You'll need to disable Screen Time or wait until the restricted time ends to change the date and time. Your Phone Company, Not all phone companies support features like setting date and time automatically. You may be able to solve this by updating carrier settings or checking with your phone company. Your Location Services Settings. If your issue is a problem with automatically setting the date and time, you may have blocked the feature. Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > move the Setting Time Zone slider to on/green to fix that. Device Management Policy. If you get your iPhone through work or school, your IT administrators may have set up the phone to prevent you from changing the date and time. Your Current Location. Some countries and regions don't support automatic time setting at all. If you've tried everything else and you still can't change your date and time, try (in this order): restarting your iPhone, updating the iOS to the latest version, resetting all settings, and contacting Apple for more support. How to Fix It When Your iPhone Time Is Wrong FAQ How do I change the date of a photo on my iPhone? While you can't edit photo metadata directly from your iPhone camera roll, you can use third-party apps such as Metadata Pro or Exif Metadata to edit date, time, and other information. Another option is to use the Photos app on your Mac. Import and select the images, choose Adjust Date and Time to edit this field and click Adjust to save your changes. How can I change the position of the date and time on my iPhone home screen? The easiest way to customize how this information displays on your home screen is to add widgets to your iPhone. Tap and hold your home screen and select the Plus symbol (+) when it appears. Or, swipe right to bring up Today View and tap and hold the screen or select Edit at the bottom of this view. Search for the built-in Calendar and Clock apps > select Add widget > and drag and drop them where you want them. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix iMessage Activation Errors How to Change the Time on an iPad How to Fix It When Your iPhone Time Is Wrong How to Factory Reset an iPhone (All Models) How to Change the Date and Time on a Mac Manually How to Fix an iPhone That Can't Update Apps How to Set Your OS System Clock How to Set up a New iPhone How to Hide IP Address on iPhone How to Fix iPhone Personal Hotspot That's Not Working Why Is Find My iPhone Not Working? How to Change the Time on Android Phones The 18 Best Tips to Get More iPad Battery Life (Updated for iPadOS 15.5) How to Change the Time on a Kindle Paperwhite How to Reset Your Mac's PRAM or NVRAM (Parameter RAM) How to Turn Off Auto Update on iPhone Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies