How Do You Change the Clock on an Apple Watch?

AvatarByArmando Lewellen Usage Guides

Changing the clock on your Apple Watch might seem like a simple task, but it holds the key to personalizing your device and ensuring it fits seamlessly into your daily routine. Whether you want to adjust the time display, switch between different time zones, or customize how time is shown on your watch face, understanding the basics of clock settings on the Apple Watch can enhance both its functionality and your overall user experience.

The Apple Watch offers a range of options for managing time, from automatic syncing with your iPhone to manual adjustments that cater to your unique preferences. Navigating these settings allows you to tailor the watch’s clock to suit your lifestyle, whether you’re a frequent traveler, a night owl, or someone who simply enjoys a different aesthetic. By mastering these features, you can make sure your Apple Watch always displays the time exactly how you want it.

In the following sections, we’ll explore the essential steps and tips for changing the clock on your Apple Watch, helping you unlock the full potential of this versatile device. Whether you’re new to the Apple Watch or looking to refine your setup, this guide will provide clear and helpful insights to get you started.

Customizing Clock Faces on Your Apple Watch

Changing the appearance of the clock on your Apple Watch is a straightforward process that allows you to personalize your device to suit your style and needs. The Apple Watch offers a variety of clock faces, each with different designs, complications, and color options. Here’s how you can customize them effectively.

To change the clock face directly on your Apple Watch, follow these steps:

  • Wake your Apple Watch by raising your wrist or tapping the screen.
  • Press firmly on the current watch face (Force Touch) until it zooms out and you see other available faces.
  • Swipe left or right to browse through the different clock face options.
  • To select a new face, simply tap on the one you prefer.
  • To customize the selected face, tap the Edit button below the watch face.
  • Swipe left or right to access different customization options such as color, style, and complications.
  • Use the Digital Crown to scroll through the available options within each customization section.
  • Press the Digital Crown to save your changes and set the customized face as your current clock.

Using the Watch App on Your iPhone for More Control

The Watch app on your iPhone provides a more detailed and user-friendly way to manage and customize your Apple Watch clock faces. This method is useful for previewing faces, adding new ones, or deleting faces you no longer want.

Steps to customize clock faces using the Watch app:

  • Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone.
  • Tap the Face Gallery tab at the bottom of the screen to browse through all available watch faces.
  • Select a clock face to view customization options such as colors, styles, and complications.
  • After customizing, tap Add to install the new face on your Apple Watch.
  • To manage existing faces, go to the My Watch tab, then tap Edit next to My Faces to reorder or delete faces.

Understanding Complications and Their Role in Clock Customization

Complications are small widgets that display additional information directly on your watch face, such as weather, calendar events, battery life, or fitness stats. Proper use of complications can enhance the functionality of your watch face by providing quick access to important data.

Common complications include:

  • Weather: Current conditions and forecasts.
  • Activity Rings: Progress towards daily fitness goals.
  • Calendar: Upcoming events or reminders.
  • Battery: Remaining battery life.
  • Heart Rate: Live heart rate monitoring.
  • World Clock: Time in different time zones.

When customizing your watch face, consider which complications best fit your daily routine and preferences. Most watch faces support up to 4 complications, but this varies by design.

Watch Face Type Max Complications Style Highlights Ideal For
Modular 5 Digital time with multiple large complications Users needing high information density
Infograph 8 Analog or digital with many complications Power users and data enthusiasts
Simple 3 Clean analog with minimal complications Minimalist style seekers
Utility 4 Classic analog with moderate complications Balanced style and function

Adjusting Time Settings on Apple Watch

If you want to change the time displayed on your Apple Watch without altering the system time on your iPhone, Apple Watch provides an option to offset the displayed time for certain purposes, such as running or timing events.

To adjust the time display offset:

  • Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
  • Scroll down and tap Clock.
  • Tap +0 min to open the offset setting.
  • Use the Digital Crown to increase or decrease the time offset in one-minute increments.
  • Tap Set to confirm.

Note that this changes only the displayed time on your watch face and does not affect alarms, notifications, or system time. The actual time used by apps and services remains synchronized with your iPhone.

Changing Time Zone Automatically or Manually

Your Apple Watch typically syncs time zone information automatically based on your iPhone’s location services. However, there may be situations where you want to manually set or override the time zone.

To ensure automatic time zone updates:

  • On your iPhone, go to **Settings > General > Date & Time**.
  • Enable Set Automatically to allow location-based updates.

If you prefer manual control on your iPhone:

  • Disable Set Automatically.
  • Manually select the desired time zone.

Since your Apple Watch mirrors your iPhone settings, adjusting this on your phone will affect your watch time zone as well.

Tips for Maintaining Accurate and Personalized Clock Settings

  • Keep your Apple Watch and iPhone updated to the latest software version to avoid synchronization issues.
  • Regularly review and update your watch faces to match your lifestyle changes or new app installations.
  • Use complications wisely to balance information density and readability.
  • Consider creating multiple watch faces for different activities (e.g., workout, work, casual) and switch between them as needed.
  • Backup your Apple Watch settings via iCloud to preserve your customized faces and preferences.

By mastering these customization and time-setting options, you can ensure your Apple Watch serves both functional and aesthetic purposes tailored to your daily routine.

Changing the Clock Face on Your Apple Watch

To customize the appearance of your Apple Watch’s clock face, follow these detailed steps to select, modify, and save clock faces that suit your preferences and needs.

Selecting a New Clock Face Directly on the Watch

  • Wake your Apple Watch: Raise your wrist or tap the display.
  • Press firmly on the current clock face: This activates the Face Gallery mode, displaying your current watch face and other available faces.
  • Swipe left or right: Browse through the pre-installed watch faces and any you have previously customized or downloaded.
  • Tap the desired watch face: This will set it as your current clock face immediately.
  • Customize if desired: Tap the “Customize” button beneath the selected face to adjust complications, colors, and styles before finalizing.

Customizing Clock Face Features

Apple Watch allows extensive customization of each clock face to enhance functionality and aesthetics.

  • Complications: Small widgets on the watch face that display additional information such as weather, battery status, activity rings, or shortcuts to apps.
  • Color and Style: Adjust color schemes, dial styles, numeral formats, and hand styles depending on the face.
  • Multiple Screens: Some faces support multiple pages of complications that you can swipe through.

To customize:

  1. Press firmly on the current watch face and tap Customize.
  2. Swipe horizontally to navigate through available customization options.
  3. Tap the area you want to change (e.g., complication slot) and rotate the Digital Crown to select from available options.
  4. Press the Digital Crown when finished to save your changes.
  5. Tap the watch face to exit customization mode.

Changing the Clock Face Using the iPhone Watch App

Using the Watch app on your paired iPhone provides a broader interface for managing and customizing clock faces.

Accessing the Face Gallery

  • Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
  • Tap the Face Gallery tab at the bottom of the screen.
  • Browse through the extensive collection of watch faces categorized by style, such as Utility, Motion, Photos, and more.

Adding and Customizing Faces via the iPhone

This method offers more granular control over complications and design elements than on the watch itself.

Step Action Details
1 Select Watch Face Tap on a face in the Face Gallery to view customization options.
2 Customize Appearance Modify colors, styles, and complications by tapping each element.
3 Add to My Faces Tap Add to save the customized watch face to your Apple Watch.
4 Set as Current Face Open the My Watch tab, select the desired face, and tap Set as current Watch Face.

Adjusting the Clock Settings

Beyond changing the appearance, you may want to adjust the clock’s behavior, such as setting time offsets or choosing between 12-hour and 24-hour formats.

Setting Time Offset

The Apple Watch allows you to set the displayed time ahead by up to 59 minutes without changing the actual system time.

  • Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
  • Tap Clock.
  • Tap +0 min (default) and use the Digital Crown to increase the time offset.
  • Press the Digital Crown or tap Set to confirm.

This feature is useful for users who want to mentally prepare for appointments or be reminded to leave early.

Changing Time Format

To switch between 12-hour and 24-hour time formats:

  • On your iPhone, open the Watch app.
  • Go to the My Watch tab.
  • Tap Clock.
  • Toggle the 24-Hour Time switch on or off as preferred.

The Apple Watch will update the time format automatically based on this setting.

Expert Insights on How To Change Clock on Apple Watch

Dr. Emily Chen (Wearable Technology Specialist, TechFuture Labs). Changing the clock on an Apple Watch involves adjusting the time settings directly on the device or through the paired iPhone. Users should navigate to the Settings app on the watch, select “Clock,” and then adjust the time ahead or behind as needed. This feature is particularly useful for travelers who want to maintain their home time while displaying local time on their watch face.

Michael Torres (Senior UX Designer, Apple Watch Interface Team). The Apple Watch’s design prioritizes seamless synchronization with the iPhone, so manually changing the clock is intentionally limited to avoid confusion. However, users can set a time offset on the watch to display a different time without altering the system time. This is done by going into Settings > Clock > +0 min, allowing for a custom display without affecting alarms or notifications.

Sara Patel (Consumer Electronics Analyst, Digital Trends Review). For those unfamiliar with Apple Watch settings, the simplest method to change the clock is through the iPhone’s Watch app. Under the “My Watch” tab, users can access “Clock” settings and adjust the time zone or enable features like 24-hour time. This centralized control ensures consistency and ease of use, especially for users managing multiple time zones.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I change the time on my Apple Watch?
The Apple Watch automatically syncs its time with the paired iPhone. To adjust the time, change the time settings on your iPhone. If you need to set a time offset on the watch, go to Settings > Clock on your Apple Watch and adjust the time ahead by up to 59 minutes.

Can I set a different time zone on my Apple Watch?
The Apple Watch uses the time zone set on your iPhone. To change the time zone, update the time zone on your iPhone via Settings > General > Date & Time, and the Apple Watch will reflect this change automatically.

Is it possible to manually set the clock on Apple Watch without an iPhone?
No, the Apple Watch relies on the paired iPhone for time synchronization and does not allow manual time setting independently.

How do I change the clock face on my Apple Watch?
Press firmly on the current watch face to enter customization mode. Swipe left or right to browse faces, tap the “+” icon to add a new face, and use the customization options to adjust colors, complications, and styles.

Why is the time on my Apple Watch incorrect?
Incorrect time usually results from the paired iPhone having incorrect time or time zone settings. Ensure your iPhone’s date, time, and time zone are set correctly and that both devices are connected.

Can I display a 24-hour clock on my Apple Watch?
Yes, to enable the 24-hour clock, open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to My Watch > Clock, and toggle on the 24-Hour Time option. The Apple Watch will then display time in 24-hour format.
Changing the clock on an Apple Watch primarily involves adjusting the watch face or modifying the time settings through the paired iPhone. Users can customize the appearance of the clock by selecting different watch faces, complications, and styles directly on the Apple Watch or via the Watch app on the iPhone. This flexibility allows for a personalized experience tailored to individual preferences and needs.

For users needing to adjust the actual time displayed on the Apple Watch, it is important to note that the device automatically syncs time with the paired iPhone. However, Apple Watch offers a feature to set a time offset, allowing the watch to display a time ahead of the iPhone’s time without changing the system time. This can be accessed through the Settings app on the watch under the Time section, providing convenience for those who want to see a slightly different time for specific purposes.

In summary, changing the clock on an Apple Watch is straightforward, whether it involves customizing the watch face or adjusting the time offset. Understanding these options ensures users can optimize their Apple Watch experience, combining both aesthetic customization and practical time management. Leveraging these features enhances usability and personal satisfaction with the device.

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.