Clocks Go Back: Your Fall-Back Checklist
Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Your phone handles itself, but the microwave, oven and car won't. Here's how to set them all, and the two safety checks to do the same day.
Clocks go back on Sunday, November 1, 2026
At 2:00 a.m. local time, clocks in most of the US and Canada fall back to 1:00 a.m. You get an extra hour of sleep, and it gets dark about an hour earlier in the evening.
Phones, computers and most smartwatches change by themselves. Ovens, microwaves, car stereos and many wall clocks don't. Here's how to set them, plus two safety checks worth doing the same day.
Hawaii, most of Arizona and the US territories don't change their clocks. Clocks spring forward again on Sunday, March 14, 2027.
DOYour fall-back checklist
Tick them off as you go.
They should update automatically. If one didn't:
- iPhone: Settings › General › Date & Time, turn on Set Automatically.
- Android: Settings › System › Date & time, turn on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically.
- Windows: Settings › Time & language › Date & time, turn on Set time automatically.
- Mac: System Settings › General › Date & Time, turn on Set time and date automatically.
Most microwaves work one of two ways. Try the first; if nothing happens, try the second.
- Clock button: press Clock, type the time on the number pad (for 6:30, press 6, 3, 0), then press Clock or Start again.
- No clock button? Press and hold Settings, Options or 0 for a few seconds until the time flashes, set it, then press Start.
Some models ask you to pick AM or PM, or 12/24-hour, first. The steps are usually printed on a sticker inside the door, or search for your model number online.
Look for a Clock button, or press and hold Clock or Timer until the time flashes. Use the arrows or number pad to set it, then press Start or Clock again to save. Gas and electric ranges work the same way.
- Touchscreen cars: look in Settings › Clock or Date & Time. Many set themselves from GPS; check that's turned on.
- Button radios: often you press and hold Clock or Disp, then use the H and M buttons or the tuning knob.
- If you use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the phone's time is already right.
Your owner's manual has the exact steps; search “clock” in the index.
Fire departments recommend using the clock change as a reminder:
- Press and hold the Test button on each alarm until it sounds. Warn the household first; it's loud.
- No sound, or a weak sound? Replace the battery, and test again.
- Check the date on the back: replace any smoke alarm that's 10 years old or more, even if it beeps.
- Mechanical light timers, sprinkler controllers and thermostats without Wi-Fi need changing by hand.
- Smart speakers, thermostats and cameras update themselves if they're online. Check any schedules still make sense now it's dark earlier, like porch lights.
Search online for the make and model number (usually on a sticker inside the door or on the back) plus “set clock”. Most manuals are free to download.
FAQCommon questions
When do the clocks go back in 2026?
Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2:00 a.m. local time, in most of the US and Canada. In the UK and EU, clocks went back a week earlier, on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
Do I gain or lose an hour?
You gain one: 2:00 a.m. becomes 1:00 a.m., so that hour happens twice. “Spring forward, fall back.”
Which states don't change their clocks?
Hawaii and most of Arizona stay on standard time all year (the Navajo Nation in Arizona does change). Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands don't change either.
Will my phone alarm still go off at the right time?
Yes. Phones adjust automatically, and alarms follow the new time.
When do clocks spring forward again?
Sunday, March 14, 2027, at 2:00 a.m., when clocks move forward to 3:00 a.m.