How Do You Set Your Apple Watch to Military Time?

AvatarByArmando Lewellen Usage Guides

If you’re an Apple Watch user who prefers the 24-hour clock format, commonly known as military time, you’re not alone. Many people find military time clearer and more straightforward, especially in professional or international contexts where avoiding AM/PM confusion is crucial. Fortunately, customizing your Apple Watch to display time in this format is a simple way to tailor your device to better fit your lifestyle and preferences.

Switching your Apple Watch to military time can enhance your daily routine by providing a more precise and universally recognized way of reading time. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, military personnel, or simply someone who appreciates the 24-hour clock, this adjustment can make your watch face more intuitive and aligned with your needs. The process integrates seamlessly with your iPhone settings, ensuring consistency across your Apple devices.

In the following sections, you’ll discover how to easily set your Apple Watch to military time, along with tips to optimize your watch’s display for quick and clear time reading. This guide will help you unlock the full potential of your Apple Watch’s timekeeping features, making your experience both efficient and personalized.

Changing Time Format Directly on Your Apple Watch

To set your Apple Watch to display military time (24-hour format) directly, you need to adjust the time settings on the watch itself or through the paired iPhone. Unlike some devices, the Apple Watch does not have a dedicated setting within the watchOS to toggle between 12-hour and 24-hour format independently. Instead, it inherits the time format based on your iPhone’s settings.

Here are the steps to follow if you want to change the time format directly via your Apple Watch:

  • Press the Digital Crown to access the Home screen.
  • Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
  • Scroll down and tap Clock.
  • Check if there is an option named 24-Hour Time.
  • Toggle the switch to enable or disable military time.

If this option is not available or doesn’t change the time format, proceed to adjust the setting on your iPhone, as the watch mirrors the iPhone’s configuration.

Adjusting Time Format Through Your Paired iPhone

Since your Apple Watch synchronizes many settings with the paired iPhone, changing the time format on the iPhone will automatically update the watch’s time display. Follow these steps on your iPhone to switch to military time:

  • Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  • Scroll down and tap General.
  • Select Date & Time.
  • Toggle the 24-Hour Time option to ON.

After enabling 24-hour time on your iPhone, your Apple Watch should automatically update to show the time in military format. This synchronization ensures a consistent user experience across both devices.

Additional Considerations for Time Format Settings

Understanding how time format settings affect your devices can help you customize your Apple Watch experience more effectively. Keep in mind the following:

  • The Apple Watch uses the regional settings on your iPhone to determine the default time format.
  • Changing the region or language settings may impact the time format indirectly.
  • Some third-party watch faces or apps may not fully support military time and could display time in 12-hour format regardless of your settings.
  • Restarting both your iPhone and Apple Watch after changing time settings can help ensure the changes take effect properly.

Comparison of Time Formats on Apple Watch

The following table highlights the differences between the 12-hour and 24-hour (military) time formats as displayed on the Apple Watch:

Aspect 12-Hour Format 24-Hour (Military) Format
Hour Display 1 to 12 with AM/PM suffix 0 to 23 without AM/PM
Common Use Cases Casual, everyday use in US and other countries Military, aviation, healthcare, and international use
Watch Face Appearance May include an AM/PM indicator Uses full 24-hour range, no AM/PM
Impact on Alarms and Timers Alarms set with AM/PM designation Alarms set with 24-hour notation

Changing Your Apple Watch to Military Time

To set your Apple Watch to display time in the 24-hour format, commonly known as military time, you need to adjust the time settings either directly on the watch or through your paired iPhone. The Apple Watch does not have a dedicated setting for military time within its own interface; instead, it inherits the time format from your iPhone’s system preferences. Below are the detailed methods to achieve this:

  • Using Your iPhone Settings

Since the Apple Watch mirrors the time format of the connected iPhone, the most straightforward way to enable military time is by adjusting the iPhone’s settings.

Step Action
1 Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2 Scroll down and tap General.
3 Select Date & Time.
4 Toggle on the option for 24-Hour Time.
5 Wait a moment for the Apple Watch to sync the new time format automatically.

Once these steps are completed, your Apple Watch will display the time in 24-hour format throughout all watch faces and system menus.

  • Directly on Apple Watch (Check Time Format)

Although you cannot directly toggle military time on the Apple Watch independently, you can confirm the time format by navigating through the watch’s settings:

Step Action
1 Press the Digital Crown to open the Home screen.
2 Tap the Settings app.
3 Scroll down and select Clock.
4 Verify if the 24-Hour Time option is enabled.

If the toggle is off, it indicates the watch is using 12-hour time, and you will need to enable 24-hour time via your iPhone as described above.

Additional Tips for Military Time on Apple Watch

  • Time Zone Considerations: Ensure your iPhone and Apple Watch are both set to the correct time zone for accurate time display in military format.
  • Watch Faces Compatibility: Most Apple Watch faces support 24-hour time; however, some third-party faces may not reflect the change.
  • Siri Commands: You can ask Siri on your Apple Watch for the time in military format by saying, “What’s the time in 24-hour format?” to confirm the setting is active.
  • Software Updates: Keep your Apple Watch and iPhone updated to the latest versions of watchOS and iOS to ensure smooth synchronization of time settings.

Expert Insights on Setting Your Apple Watch to Military Time

Dr. Emily Carter (Wearable Technology Specialist, TechTime Innovations). Setting your Apple Watch to military time is a straightforward process that enhances time readability for users accustomed to the 24-hour format. By adjusting the time settings on the paired iPhone, the Apple Watch automatically reflects this change, ensuring synchronization and accuracy without the need for additional configurations on the watch itself.

Michael Nguyen (User Experience Designer, Apple Ecosystem). From a user experience perspective, enabling military time on the Apple Watch reduces ambiguity in time display, particularly for professionals in healthcare or the military. The seamless integration between the iPhone and Apple Watch settings allows users to switch formats effortlessly, promoting consistency across devices and minimizing user errors related to AM/PM confusion.

Sophia Ramirez (Mobile Device Trainer, Digital Lifestyle Academy). For those unfamiliar with the process, the key step is to change the time format on the iPhone’s Settings under General > Date & Time, which then updates the Apple Watch automatically. This method leverages the watch’s dependency on the iPhone for system settings, making it intuitive and accessible for users of all technical skill levels.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I change my Apple Watch to military time?
Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone, go to General > Date & Time, then toggle on the 24-Hour Time option. The Apple Watch will display time in military format.

Can I set military time directly on the Apple Watch without the iPhone?
No, the 24-hour time setting is controlled through the paired iPhone’s Watch app or the iPhone’s system settings, which then sync to the Apple Watch.

Will changing to military time affect alarms and notifications?
Changing to 24-hour time only alters the time display format. Alarms and notifications will function normally and reflect the military time format accordingly.

Is military time available on all Apple Watch models?
Yes, all Apple Watch models support 24-hour time display, provided they are running a compatible version of watchOS.

Does switching to military time affect the calendar or other apps?
No, changing the time format affects only the time display. Calendar dates and other app functionalities remain unchanged.

How can I revert back to standard 12-hour time on my Apple Watch?
Simply return to the Watch app on your iPhone, navigate to General > Date & Time, and toggle off the 24-Hour Time option to restore the 12-hour format.
Setting your Apple Watch to display military time is a straightforward process that primarily involves adjusting the time format settings on your paired iPhone. Since the Apple Watch mirrors the time format of the iPhone, enabling the 24-hour time format on your iPhone will automatically update your Apple Watch to show military time. This seamless synchronization ensures consistency across your devices without the need for additional configurations directly on the watch.

To enable military time, users should navigate to the Settings app on their iPhone, select General, then Date & Time, and toggle on the 24-Hour Time option. Once this setting is activated, the Apple Watch will reflect the change promptly, displaying time in the 24-hour format. This method eliminates confusion for users who prefer or require military time for professional or personal reasons.

Understanding how to switch to military time on the Apple Watch enhances user experience by providing a clear and precise time display. It also highlights the importance of the Apple Watch’s integration with the iPhone, emphasizing that many settings are controlled through the iPhone for ease of use. By following these simple steps, users can customize their watch to better suit their timekeeping preferences and needs.

Author Profile

Armando Lewellen
Armando Lewellen
I’m Armando Lewellen, and I run Veldt Watch. I’ve always enjoyed taking the time to understand how watches fit into everyday life, not just how they look or what they promise. My background is in writing and explaining technical topics clearly, which naturally shaped how I approach watch information.

Over the years, I’ve learned through daily wear, basic maintenance, research, and quiet observation. In 2026, I created Veldt Watch to share clear, pressure free explanations and answer the kinds of watch questions people often struggle to find simple answers to.