Do iPhones Automatically Change Time Zones? 5 Best Answers

If you’re someone who always relies on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac for the correct time when traveling to different time zones, you must have wondered –

do iPhones automatically change time zones?

Yes, iPhones automatically change time zones only if the “Set Automatically” option is turned on in the Settings app of your iPhone. If not, you’ll have to turn the option on for it to show the correct time. 

Your iOS device will show the correct time when you travel to a different time zone. Don’t know how to turn on this option? Read on. 

How To Set Automatic Time Zones In The iPhone? 

The iPhone is equipped with a feature that automatically adapts to the local time zone. To set up the iPhone to automatically switch between time zones, follow the steps given below:

  • Tap the Settings icon to open the settings menu. 
do iphones automatically change time zones
  • Scroll down and choose the General option 
Scroll down and choose the General option
  • Select the Date and Time option
  • Tap on the toggle next to Set Automatically. A green shading around the button shows that this feature is turned on.
 Set Automatically

Besides this, another setting on the Location Services menu affects the iPhone’s ability to update date and time efficiently. The further steps to be followed to enable this setting are as follows. 

  • Tap the Settings icon to open the settings menu.
Tap the Settings icon to open the settings menu.
  • Tap to choose the Privacy option.
  • Tap on the Location Services tab.
Tap on the Location Services tab.
  • Select the System Services option 
  • Turn on the Setting Time Zone option 
Turn on the Setting Time Zone option

To ensure updates in time and date concerning your current geographical location, turning on the Setting Time Zone option is mandatory. 

However, there is a slight caution concerning the iPhone’s feature of updating the time zones with changing locations. This happens in the case of scheduled calendar events. 

This could be dealt with in the setting called Time Zone Override. To access this, follow the steps given below.  

  • Open the Settings app on the device.
Open the Settings app on the device.
  • Choose the Calendar tab.
Choose the Calendar tab.
  • Scroll down to tap on the Time Zone Override option. 
Scroll down to tap on the Time Zone Override option.

If the Time Zone Override feature is turned off, your iPhone will adjust the times based on the device’s current geographical location. If you prefer that Calendar notifications shouldn’t change concerning changing locations, you must toggle this feature and select the time zone you prefer.  

How To Manually Set The Time Zone on iPhone? 

We have seen that the iPhone can automatically update the date and time according to your geographical location. Similarly, it can also be adept at updating the time and date with manual settings. To manually set the time zone on iPhone, follow the steps given below:

  • Tap and open the Settings app.
Tap and open the Settings app.
  • Tap and select the General option.
Tap and select the General option.
  • Select the Date and Time option.
  • Tap the Set Automatically option to turn it off if switched on. 
Tap the Set Automatically option to turn it off if it's switched on.

Refer to the following section to learn how to turn off this option if it is grayed out. 

  • Tap on the Time Zone option to specify the new time zone.
  • Add the desired city name to the text box on the Time Zone screen. 
  • Select the required city from the list.  

In this way, the time zone can be updated manually on your iPhone.   

Why Can’t I Turn Off the “Set Automatically” Option? 

While changing the time zone settings of the iPhone to set the time zone manually, you’ve to switch off the already turned on Set Automatically option. Sometimes, it is observed that this option is grayed out and is not turned off. 

The Screen Time feature averts you from manually setting the date and time. 

In such a situation, when you’re not able to toggle off the Set Automatically option since it is grayed out, you have to turn off the Screen Time feature to be able to do that. 

To deactivate the Screen Time feature, follow the steps given below. 

  • Open the Settings app.
Open the Settings app.
  • Tap on the Screen Time tab.
Tap on the Screen Time tab.
  • Scroll down to the Turn Off Screen Time feature. Tap on it. 
Scroll down to the Turn Off Screen Time feature. Tap on it.

In this way, the Screen Time feature can be disabled before turning off the Set Automatically option. If prompted, enter the screen time passcode. 

Why Is My iPhone Calendar In The Wrong Time Zone? 

At times, the iPhone Calendar could be in the incorrect time zone. Many reasons are cited for this phenomenon. For instance, some of them are:

  • iPhone’s time and date settings are incorrect. 
  • The time zone override option is not turned on. 

Further, there can be different reasons why the iPhone is displaying incorrect times and dates. Some of them are:

  • The disabling of the location services feature prevents the iPhone from adjusting the time automatically when traveling.
  • The setting of the iPhone to the wrong time zone.
  • Automatic date and time settings are turned off. This prevents it from updating the time in case of events like Daylight Saving Time.

How Do I Correct the Time in My iPhone Calendar? 

To correct the time on your iPhone Calendar, you should first attempt to correct the date and time on the iPhone. This is because the former is tied to the latter. 

To revise the date and time settings on the iPhone, follow the steps that are given below:

  • Open the Settings app and open the Settings Menu.
  • Scroll and tap on the General option. 
  • Select the Date and Time tab from the General menu.

After these steps, go to the option Set Automatically and choose any suitable options. 

  • Tap on the Set Automatically option to toggle it on if it is off. This will automatically update the date and time settings, by determining your current location, after having access to a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. 
  • If the Set Automatically option is already turned on, switch it off and toggle it on again. This will restart the feature and make the iPhone update the time and date according to your current location. 
  • In case the Set Automatically option is turned off and you choose not to turn it on, you can update the settings on your own, as follows:
    • Tap on the tab below it, called Time Zone.
    • Please type the city of your required location, and select it from the following options.
    • Tap on the date so that the Calendar menu pops up. Choose the correct date. 
    • Tap the time, and set it accordingly. 

These changes will save automatically. 

If the Calendar is incorrect after following the steps mentioned above, you may have to update the calendar itself. 

For that, follow the steps given below. 

  • Open the Settings app. 
  • Scroll down and choose the Calendar option. 
  • Scroll and tap on Default Calendar. While choosing this, ensure that the default calendar is one that you wish to use and is connected to your account. 

If the required account is not connected, move to the previous menu and choose the Accounts option. 

  • From the pop-up menu, tap on Add Account and create a required account. 
  • Follow the upcoming steps for the creation of the required account. 
  • Exit the Accounts menu, and move to the Default Calendar menu.
  • Choose the new user as the Default user. 

If the calendar is still not updated with the appropriate data, then the Time Zone Override settings may need to be updated. 

To adjust the Time Zone Override settings, follow the steps given below:

  • Tap Settings. 
  • Go to the Calendar option by scrolling down
  • Tap on the Time Zone Override option. 

This will toggle it on or off. I switched it on. It will update the calendar times and events according to the iPhone’s designated time zone (You need to designate it a time zone by selecting one from the options given below). The calendar’s event dates will get adjusted to your current time zone if turned off. 

Conclusion

In a globalized world, where people travel for work, fun, education, and medical purposes, a proper acquaintance with the time zones and changing of time are essential for the smooth functioning of day-to-day life. 

iPhones can switch between time zones and display the date and time according to your geographical location. So, the answer to your question – do iPhones automatically change time zones is a yes. 

Though the iPhone has a built-in automatic time zone setting to ensure automatic switching in the time and date to avoid time zone issues, it also has an option to update these settings manually. However, to enable any of these settings, the user must enable the features accordingly. 

At times, it is observed that once the automatic settings are enabled, the option gets grayed and doesn’t get turned off. In such a situation, the Screen time feature must be disabled first before the automatic feature.

Besides, the iPhone Calendar app is also tied to the iPhone’s Date and Time Settings, which is also affected by shifting time zones, and could be corrected manually.