How To Change The Time On My Garmin | Stop Wrong Time

Set time to Auto, sync with GPS or Garmin Connect, then pick your time zone and 12/24-hour format if it still looks off.

If your Garmin time is off, it’s usually one of three things: the device hasn’t synced lately, the time zone setting is wrong, or Auto time got switched off. The fix is often faster than people expect. You don’t need to reset your whole device, and you don’t need to guess.

This walkthrough covers the common Garmin setups: watches (Forerunner, vívoactive, fēnix), bike computers (Edge), handhelds (eTrex, GPSMAP), and dash units. You’ll get a clean “do this next” flow, plus a troubleshooting section for the annoying cases like daylight saving changes, travel, and time drifting after a long time indoors.

Start With The Two Ways Garmin Gets The Correct Time

Most Garmin devices can set time in two main ways. The right choice depends on what you use and where you use it.

Auto time from GPS

This is the go-to option for watches and outdoor GPS units. When GPS locks in, your device can update the time and time zone from your position. If you’ve been inside, on a subway, or in a dense city street, your device may not have had a clean satellite lock.

Auto time from your phone

Many Garmin watches prefer syncing time through the Garmin Connect app. If your phone shows the right local time, syncing can snap your watch back to the right time zone after travel or daylight saving changes.

How To Change The Time On My Garmin Watch

Garmin watch menus vary by model, but the path is often close to: Settings → System → Time. If you can’t find it, use the watch’s Settings search (on models that have it) and type “Time”.

Set the time automatically on a Garmin watch

1. Open the watch face.
2. Hold the Menu button (or press and hold the touch area, depending on your model).
3. Go to Settings → System → Time.
4. Set Time or Time Source to Auto (GPS or phone sync, depending on the model).
5. Go outside for a GPS lock, or open Garmin Connect on your phone and run a sync.

If the time jumps to the correct value after a sync, you’re done. If it’s still off by a full hour, that’s usually a time zone or daylight saving setting issue, not a minutes-and-seconds issue.

Set the time zone on a Garmin watch

If your watch is correct at home but wrong when you travel, time zone handling is the part to check. Many models let you pick Auto time zone (based on GPS) or a fixed zone you choose.

1. From the watch face, open Settings → System → Time.
2. Find Time Zone (or Set Time on some models).
3. Select Auto if you travel, or select a named zone if you stay in one zone most of the year.

Switch 12-hour or 24-hour time

This change won’t fix a wrong hour, but it can fix a “my watch looks wrong” moment. Look for Time Format inside the same Time settings screen, then pick 12-hour or 24-hour.

Manual time on a Garmin watch

Manual time is handy when you can’t get GPS and you don’t have a phone sync, like during setup or on a long flight. The steps depend on model. Some watches let you set the hour and minutes directly. Others let you set the zone and the watch calculates the rest.

If your watch offers Set Time and it’s editable, you can use it. If it’s locked, switch away from Auto first, set your time or zone, then switch back to Auto after you can sync again.

Garmin’s own note for watches is simple: when the displayed time is incorrect after travel or daylight saving changes, syncing through Garmin Connect updates it based on your phone’s time. Garmin: watch time is incorrect

How To Change The Time On Garmin Edge And Bike Computers

Edge devices usually handle time through GPS. If the clock is wrong, the fix is often “get a fresh satellite lock,” not “hunt for a manual time editor.”

Auto time on Edge

1. Turn the Edge on.
2. Go outside to an open sky view.
3. Wait for the GPS icon to show a lock.
4. Check the time again.

If the time is still off, check that GPS is enabled and that your device has a clear view of the sky long enough to lock. Garmin’s Edge note spells out this approach and the “go outdoors, wait for satellites” step that many riders skip. Garmin: Edge time is incorrect

Manual time on Edge

Some Edge models offer a manual option inside System → Time, but many riders never need it. Use manual time only when you ride indoors without GPS for long stretches and your device can’t refresh time from satellites.

How To Change The Time On Handheld Garmin GPS Units

Handhelds like eTrex and GPSMAP often let you set time automatically from satellites, with a manual option as backup. The pattern is similar: a Time page or System page with Auto time, time zone, and 12/24-hour format.

Best routine for handhelds

1. Set time to Auto if you use the device outdoors.
2. Set time zone to Auto if you travel.
3. After a battery swap, give the device a clean GPS lock outside.

If your handheld is used mostly in a car, forest canopy, or a narrow canyon, it may take longer to lock satellites. Give it time, stay still, and let it settle before judging the clock.

How To Change The Time On Garmin Dash And Street GPS Units

Street GPS units can use GPS time, phone-linked time (on some models), or network time for connected devices. If your unit has a Date/Time settings page, you’ll usually see an Auto toggle plus manual controls for time zone and format.

A common gotcha: if Auto time is set to use a network signal, and the device has no connection, the time may not refresh until it reconnects. Switching Auto time source or setting time zone manually fixes that in a pinch.

Common Menu Paths By Garmin Device Type

Use this table as a “where do I tap” shortcut. Labels vary by model, but the structure is steady across product lines.

Garmin device type	Where time settings usually live	What to change first
Forerunner watch	Settings → System → Time	Time Zone = Auto, then sync
fēnix watch	Watch Settings → System → Time	Time Zone = Auto (GPS)
vívoactive / Venu	Settings → System → Time	Sync with phone, check zone
Instinct	Settings → System → Time	GPS lock outside
Edge bike computer	Settings → System → Time	GPS enabled, fresh lock
Handheld (eTrex)	Setup → Time (or System)	Auto time, then zone
Handheld (GPSMAP)	Setup → Time	Auto time, 12/24 format
Street GPS / dash unit	Settings → System → Date/Time	Auto toggle, then time zone

Fix The Annoying Cases That Make Time Look “Stuck”

Some time problems repeat. Once you know the pattern, you can fix them in a minute.

Your Garmin is off by one hour

This is the classic daylight saving symptom. The device may still be using an old offset for your zone, or it may be pinned to a zone you selected months ago. Set Time Zone to Auto, sync again, and check whether your phone’s time zone is set to automatic too.

Your Garmin is correct at home, wrong when traveling

Travel breaks time zones first. If your device is set to a named zone, it will stay there until you change it. Set Time Zone to Auto and let GPS or phone sync detect your new location.

The minutes are wrong, not just the hour

If minutes drift, your device hasn’t synced in a while or it never got a clean GPS lock. For watches, open Garmin Connect and run a sync. For GPS-first devices, go outdoors and wait for a solid satellite lock.

The time is right, but activities show the wrong start time

This is often a phone sync issue after travel. Sync the device, then sync again after your phone has settled on the correct time zone. If you use more than one phone, make sure the watch is paired to the phone you carry most often.

The time won’t change after you switch settings

Restart the device after changing Time Zone or Auto time settings. A restart forces the device to reload system time settings and clears odd edge cases after updates.

Quick Troubleshooting Map

This table gives you a clean “symptom → likely cause → fix” path. Use it when you don’t want to tap through menus twice.

What you see	What’s likely going on	What to do next
Wrong by 1 hour	Time zone offset not updated	Set Time Zone to Auto, sync again
Wrong zone after travel	Time zone fixed to a named zone	Switch zone to Auto (GPS), wait for lock
Minutes drift over days	No recent sync	Sync with phone or GPS
Time correct, date wrong	Date not refreshed since battery swap	GPS lock outside, then restart
Time flips back after manual edit	Auto time overwriting your manual set	Turn Auto off, set time, then pick when to turn Auto on again
Edge time wrong indoors	No GPS on indoor rides	Enable manual time if your model offers it, or sync outdoors before the ride
Watch time wrong after update	Sync state out of date	Restart watch, open Garmin Connect, sync twice

Keep Your Garmin Time Right Without Thinking About It

Once the clock is corrected, the goal is to stop this from popping up again.

Pick the right default: Auto time zone or fixed time zone

If you travel across time zones, Auto time zone saves you repeated edits. If you stay in one zone all year, a fixed zone can be stable. Either works, but mixing “fixed zone” with frequent travel is where the clock gets messy.

Sync on your schedule

If your watch pairs to a phone, sync it when you charge it. That one habit keeps the time, date, and activity logs aligned. If you use a GPS-first device like an Edge or handheld, a short outdoor GPS lock before use keeps the device current.

After a battery change, give it one clean GPS lock

Battery swaps can reset internal timing state on some units. A clean lock outside often fixes the date and time in one shot.

Checklist Before You Walk Away

• Time Zone set to Auto if you travel.
• Auto time enabled if you want GPS or phone to keep time fresh.
• Phone time zone set to automatic if you use Garmin Connect syncing.
• Restart done after major time setting changes.
• GPS lock tested outdoors once.

If you run that list, your Garmin clock should match your local time and stay that way. If it slips again, the tables above point straight to the setting that usually caused it.