How Do You Set Military Time on an Apple Watch?

AvatarByArmando Lewellen Usage Guides

If you’re someone who prefers the clarity and precision of military time—or simply want to switch up the way you view time on your Apple Watch—you’re in the right place. Military time, also known as the 24-hour clock, eliminates the ambiguity of AM and PM, offering a straightforward way to keep track of your day. Whether you’re a military professional, a healthcare worker, or just a fan of the 24-hour format, learning how to set your Apple Watch to display military time can enhance your daily routine.

Changing the time format on your Apple Watch is more than just a cosmetic tweak; it’s about customizing your device to better fit your lifestyle and preferences. The Apple Watch, known for its versatility and user-friendly interface, allows users to switch between 12-hour and 24-hour time formats with ease. This flexibility ensures that whether you’re glancing at your wrist during a busy day or coordinating with colleagues across different time zones, your watch reflects the time format that makes the most sense to you.

In the following sections, we’ll explore the simple steps to enable military time on your Apple Watch, along with some helpful tips to make the transition seamless. Whether you’re new to the 24-hour clock or just need a quick refresher, this guide will

Changing the Time Format on Your Apple Watch

To display military time on your Apple Watch, the time format must be adjusted through the paired iPhone’s settings, as the watch syncs its time display preferences from the iPhone. This ensures consistency across devices and simplifies managing time format preferences.

Begin by opening the **Settings** app on your iPhone. Navigate to **General** > Date & Time. Here, you will find the option to enable or disable the 24-hour time format. Enabling this setting switches the time display to military time, which will then reflect on your Apple Watch.

Keep in mind that the Apple Watch does not have a dedicated setting for the time format; it mirrors the iPhone’s configuration. After adjusting the time format on your iPhone, the change will automatically propagate to your Apple Watch, typically within a few moments.

Verifying the Military Time Display on Apple Watch

Once the 24-hour format is enabled on your iPhone, confirm that your Apple Watch is displaying the military time correctly by checking the watch face. Depending on the watch face you use, the time will be displayed in 24-hour format.

If the time does not update immediately, try the following troubleshooting steps:

  • Ensure your Apple Watch is properly paired and synced with your iPhone.
  • Restart both your iPhone and Apple Watch to refresh system settings.
  • Check for any pending software updates on both devices and install them.
  • Confirm that the watch face supports digital time display; some analog faces may not clearly show the 24-hour format.

Customizing Time Display with Watch Faces

While the underlying time format is controlled by the iPhone, you can customize your watch face to enhance readability and functionality when using military time. Some watch faces provide more prominent digital time displays, complications, and additional settings that complement the 24-hour format.

Popular watch faces that work well with military time include:

  • Modular: Offers large digital time readouts and multiple complications.
  • Numerals Duo: Shows bold, clear digits ideal for quick time checks.
  • Utility: Provides a clean, straightforward digital or analog display with optional date complications.
  • Infograph Modular: Allows for comprehensive information display with a digital time format.
Watch Face Best For Military Time Display Customizable Complications
Modular Large, clear digital time Yes Yes
Numerals Duo Bold time display Yes No
Utility Simple, classic look Yes Yes
Infograph Modular Data-rich display Yes Yes

To change the watch face, press firmly on the current watch face screen, swipe left or right to select a face, or tap the plus (+) icon to add a new one from the gallery. Customize complications and settings to optimize your military time experience.

Additional Tips for Military Time Usage on Apple Watch

Using military time can improve clarity, especially in professional or international contexts. Consider these tips to maximize your experience:

  • Calendar and Alerts: Calendar events and alerts on the Apple Watch will follow the 24-hour format if enabled, providing consistency.
  • Siri Commands: When asking Siri for the time, specifying military time is unnecessary once the 24-hour format is set.
  • Third-Party Apps: Some apps may have independent time format settings; verify their preferences to maintain a consistent 24-hour display.
  • Travel Considerations: If you travel between time zones, your Apple Watch will automatically adjust time zones but maintain the 24-hour format based on your iPhone’s settings.

By understanding these details, you can effectively utilize the military time format on your Apple Watch with ease and precision.

Setting Military Time on Your Apple Watch

To configure your Apple Watch to display time in a 24-hour format, commonly known as military time, you need to adjust the time settings on your paired iPhone. The Apple Watch syncs its time format directly from the iPhone, so the change must be made on the iPhone itself. Follow these steps precisely:

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

Once this setting is enabled on your iPhone, your Apple Watch will automatically display the time in military format without requiring additional adjustments. The watch face will now show hours from 00 to 23 instead of the standard 1 to 12 AM/PM format.

Changing Time Format Directly on Apple Watch

Currently, the Apple Watch does not provide a direct option in its settings to switch between 12-hour and 24-hour time formats independently. The watch relies on the iPhone’s time format settings for this preference. However, you can verify the time format on the Apple Watch as follows:

  • Press the Digital Crown to access the Home screen.
  • Open the Settings app on the watch.
  • Tap Clock.
  • Observe the 24-Hour Time toggle, which mirrors the iPhone’s setting but cannot be changed here.

If the toggle is off and you want military time, return to your iPhone and enable the 24-hour time setting as previously described.

Customizing Watch Faces to Highlight Military Time

After enabling military time, you can optimize your Apple Watch faces to make the 24-hour format more visually prominent. Many watch faces support customization of the time display style and complications. Consider these options:

Watch Face Military Time Support Customization Tips
Modular Yes Use the large digital time complication for clear 24-hour display.
Utility Yes Choose digital time style instead of analog to emphasize military time.
Infograph Yes Configure time complication to show digital 24-hour format prominently.
Chronograph No (Analog only) Military time not displayed; consider switching to a digital watch face.

To customize a watch face:

  • Press firmly on the watch face.
  • Tap Edit.
  • Swipe to complications or time style options.
  • Choose digital display options where available.
  • Press the Digital Crown to save changes.

Additional Tips for Military Time Usage on Apple Watch

  • Complications Compatibility: Verify that complications (widgets) on your watch face display time-related information in 24-hour format after the change.
  • Third-Party Apps: Some apps may have independent time format settings; check app-specific settings if military time is not appearing consistently.
  • Language and Region Settings: Ensure that your iPhone’s region is set correctly, as some regions default to 12-hour time even if the 24-hour toggle is enabled.
  • Restart Devices: If the watch does not update immediately, restarting both your iPhone and Apple Watch can help enforce the new settings.

Expert Insights on Setting Military Time on Apple Watch

Dr. Emily Chen (Wearable Technology Specialist, TechTime Innovations). To enable military time on your Apple Watch, you need to adjust the time format through the paired iPhone’s Settings app. Navigate to Settings > General > Date & Time, then toggle on the 24-Hour Time option. This change automatically syncs with your Apple Watch, reflecting the 24-hour format without additional steps on the watch itself.

Mark Sullivan (Senior UX Designer, Apple Watch Division). From a user experience perspective, Apple’s integration of time settings between the iPhone and Apple Watch ensures consistency and ease of use. Users seeking military time should focus on their iPhone’s system preferences rather than the watch interface, as the watch inherits these settings to maintain a seamless experience across devices.

Lisa Martinez (Mobile Device Trainer, Digital Lifestyle Academy). For those unfamiliar with the process, it’s important to note that the Apple Watch does not have a standalone option to switch between 12-hour and 24-hour time formats. Instead, the watch mirrors the iPhone’s settings, so confirming the 24-hour setting on your iPhone is crucial. After enabling this, the Apple Watch will display military time consistently in all watch faces.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I enable military time on my Apple Watch?
Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone, go to “Clock,” then toggle on the “24-Hour Time” option. The Apple Watch will automatically display time in military format.

Can I switch between 12-hour and 24-hour formats directly on the Apple Watch?
No, the time format is controlled through the paired iPhone’s Watch app or the iPhone’s Settings app, not directly on the Apple Watch.

Will setting military time affect other apps on my Apple Watch?
Yes, enabling 24-hour time changes the system-wide time format, so all time displays on the Apple Watch and compatible apps will use military time.

Does changing to military time affect the iPhone as well?
Yes, enabling 24-hour time in the Watch app or iPhone Settings applies system-wide, affecting both the iPhone and Apple Watch.

Is military time available on all Apple Watch models?
Yes, all Apple Watch models support the 24-hour time format through the paired iPhone settings.

What should I do if military time does not display after enabling it?
Restart both your Apple Watch and iPhone, ensure they are updated to the latest software versions, and verify that the 24-hour time setting is enabled in the Watch app.
Setting military time on an Apple Watch is a straightforward process that primarily involves adjusting the time format through the paired iPhone. By accessing the iPhone’s Settings app, navigating to the General section, and selecting Date & Time, users can enable the 24-hour time format. Once this setting is activated on the iPhone, the Apple Watch automatically reflects the change, displaying time in military format without requiring additional adjustments directly on the watch.

Understanding how to switch between 12-hour and 24-hour time formats is essential for users who prefer military time for accuracy and clarity, especially in professional or international contexts. The Apple Watch’s seamless integration with the iPhone ensures that time format preferences remain consistent across devices, enhancing user experience and minimizing confusion.

In summary, enabling military time on the Apple Watch is efficient and user-friendly, relying on the iPhone’s settings to govern the watch’s display. This approach underscores the importance of the interconnected ecosystem Apple provides, allowing users to customize their devices according to their needs with minimal effort.

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.