Apple Watch showing the wrong time after daylight saving? Apple explains the fix
Apple has published a support document for Apple Watch owners whose watch is an hour off after daylight saving time ends. With clocks going back across most of the US on Sunday, November 1, Apple says the problem only affects the Always On display and clears up on its own by midnight.
What goes wrong
According to Apple, the watch face can keep showing the old hour after the time change in your area. The wrong time appears only on the Always On display, while your wrist is down. As soon as you raise your wrist or tap the screen, the watch shows the correct hour.
Apple says features such as alarms are not affected. The document, dated Friday, October 30, doesn't say which watchOS versions or Apple Watch models have the problem.
The bug isn't limited to the US. MacRumors reported on Monday, October 26, that some watchOS 27 users in the UK and central Europe saw the Always On display stay an hour fast after clocks went back there that weekend.
How to fix it
Apple suggests trying either of 2 fixes:
- Switch watch faces and back. Touch and hold the current watch face, swipe to a different face and tap it, then repeat the steps to return to your usual face.
- Restart the watch. Press and hold the side button until the sliders appear, then turn the watch off. To turn it back on, hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. You can't restart the watch while it's charging.
If you do nothing, Apple says the issue resolves itself at midnight after the time change.
What it means for you
This is a cosmetic bug, not a broken clock. Your alarms will still go off at the right time, and the correct hour shows whenever the screen is fully awake. If you glance at a dimmed watch face to check the time today, though, it may be an hour fast. Switching faces is the faster fix, since it doesn't require turning the watch off.
Apple also recommends keeping your Apple Watch updated so it gets the latest bug fixes.