When Do Clocks Change?
Select your country or city to see the exact spring-forward and fall-back dates, what time clocks change, and how long until the next one. Use the year arrows to look ahead or back.
How Daylight Saving Time works
The idea behind Daylight Saving Time is simple: shift the clocks so that daylight overlaps more with the hours most people are awake. During summer, the sun rises early — earlier than most people get up. By moving clocks forward one hour, that “wasted” early morning light is shifted into the evening, when people can actually enjoy it.
Spring forward happens once a year, usually in March or April in the Northern Hemisphere. Clocks jump from 2:00 AM straight to 3:00 AM, so that night is one hour shorter. You lose an hour of sleep, but evenings stay lighter for longer throughout the coming months. Fall back reverses this in October or November: clocks go from 2:00 AM back to 1:00 AM, giving you an extra hour that night. Mornings get lighter again, but evenings darken earlier.
Not everyone participates. Countries close to the equator see little difference in day length across the seasons, so the benefits of changing clocks are minimal. Japan, China, India, and most of Africa keep a fixed time all year. Even within countries, there can be exceptions — the US state of Arizona does not observe DST. Some places have unusual shifts: Lord Howe Island in Australia moves its clocks by just 30 minutes rather than the usual 60.
Frequently asked questions
What is Daylight Saving Time?
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of setting clocks forward by one hour in spring so that evenings stay light longer, then setting them back in autumn. 'Spring forward' means you lose an hour of sleep one night a year; 'fall back' means you gain one back. The idea is to make better use of natural daylight during the months when it is most plentiful.
Why do clocks change on different dates in different countries?
Each country sets its own clock-change dates by law, and they are not globally synchronized. The US and Canada switch on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November. Most of Europe switches on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October. Australia and New Zealand observe DST in reverse — their summer falls between October and April, opposite to the Northern Hemisphere.
What time do clocks actually change?
In most countries, clocks change at 2:00 AM local time. This timing is chosen to minimize disruption — most people are asleep and there are fewer trains, flights, and business activities running. In spring, 2:00 AM jumps straight to 3:00 AM (one hour is skipped). In autumn, 2:00 AM reverts to 1:00 AM (that hour repeats).
Which countries don't observe Daylight Saving Time?
A large part of the world keeps its clocks fixed all year. Japan, China, India, South Korea, Singapore, and most countries in Africa and South-East Asia do not observe DST. In the United States, Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii do not change their clocks. The closer a country is to the equator, the less the day length varies across seasons, making clock changes less worthwhile.
Will my phone and computer adjust automatically?
Yes, in almost all cases. Modern smartphones, tablets, and computers update their clocks automatically when DST begins or ends, as long as you have the correct timezone set and automatic time is enabled. You do not need to do anything manually. The exceptions are older devices, some car clocks, microwave displays, and other appliances that don't connect to the internet.
Is Daylight Saving Time being abolished?
Several countries and regions have moved to abolish clock changes in recent years. The European Union voted in 2019 to end mandatory DST, allowing each member state to choose a permanent time, though implementation has stalled. In the United States, the Sunshine Protection Act to make DST permanent has been proposed multiple times but not yet passed. Russia, Iceland, China, and India have already abolished seasonal clock changes.