How to Change the Time on Your Fitbit Watch

Fitbit watches do not have a manual time setting on the watch itself. You cannot scroll through the menus on your wrist and type in the correct hour. Instead, your Fitbit gets its time entirely from the Fitbit app on your phone. When the two sync, the watch updates its clock automatically.

This means fixing a wrong time almost always comes down to one of two things: forcing a sync or correcting the time zone inside the Fitbit app. Both take less than a minute.

Why Your Fitbit Is Showing the Wrong Time

The most common reasons are a recent daylight saving time change, travelling to a different time zone, or the watch losing its Bluetooth connection to your phone for an extended period. Less commonly, the automatic time zone setting in the app may have been switched off at some point.

Whatever the cause, the fix is the same.

The Quickest Fix: Force a Sync

Before adjusting any settings, try a manual sync first. This alone resolves the issue for most people.

Open the Fitbit app on your phone and make sure Bluetooth is turned on. Go to the Today tab, then press and hold the screen and pull downward. This forces an immediate sync between the app and your watch. Wait a few seconds, then check the time on your Fitbit.

If the time is now correct, you are done. If it is still wrong, the time zone setting in the app needs to be adjusted.

How to Change the Time Zone on iPhone

Step 1: Open the Fitbit App

Open the Fitbit app and go to the Today tab at the bottom of the screen.

Step 2: Open App Settings

Tap your profile picture or the account icon in the top left corner. Scroll down and tap Fitbit Settings, then tap App Settings.

Step 3: Adjust the Time Zone

Tap Date, time and units, then tap Time Zone. If Set Automatically is turned on, toggle it off and then back on again. This refreshes the automatic detection. If the time zone shown is wrong, leave Set Automatically off and manually select the correct time zone from the list.

Step 4: Sync Your Watch

Go back to the Today tab, pull down to sync, and wait for the watch to update.

How to Change the Time Zone on Android

Step 1: Open the Fitbit App

Open the Fitbit app and tap the Today tab.

Step 2: Open App Settings

Tap the settings icon or your profile picture in the top left. Scroll down to App Settings.

Step 3: Adjust the Time Zone

Tap Date, time and units, then tap Time Zone. Toggle Set Automatically off and back on to refresh it, or manually choose the correct time zone if the automatic setting is not working.

Step 4: Sync Your Watch

Pull down on the Today tab to force a sync and apply the changes.

How to Switch Between 12-Hour and 24-Hour Clock

If your watch is showing the right time but in the wrong format, this is a quick fix.

Open the Fitbit app and go to Today, then your profile or settings icon, then App Settings. Tap Date, time and units and look for Clock Display Time. Tap the arrows to switch between 12 hour and 24 hour. Sync your watch to apply the change.

If the Time Is Still Wrong After Syncing

Try signing out of the Fitbit app completely and signing back in before syncing again. This refreshes your account connection and resolves sync issues that a simple pull-down does not fix.

Also make sure your phone itself is set to the correct time. Your Fitbit mirrors your phone's time, so if your phone's clock is wrong or set to the wrong time zone, the watch will follow. Check your phone's date and time settings and confirm it is set to automatic or to the correct zone.

If none of this works, restart your Fitbit by holding the button until the device vibrates and the logo appears, then open the app and sync again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the time directly on my Fitbit without the app?

No. Fitbit watches do not have a manual time adjustment on the device itself. The time is controlled entirely through the Fitbit app on your paired phone. You need the app installed and your watch connected via Bluetooth to change or correct the time.

Why did my Fitbit time change on its own?

Your Fitbit automatically syncs with your phone, so if your phone's time zone changed, daylight saving time occurred, or you travelled to a new time zone with your phone, the watch updated to match. This is normal behaviour and usually means the watch is working correctly.

My time zone is correct but the time is still an hour off. What should I do?

This is usually a daylight saving time issue. Toggle the Set Automatically option off and back on in App Settings, then force a sync. If the automatic option is already on, it should correct itself on the next sync. If not, manually select your current time zone even if it already appears correct, then sync again.

Does changing the clock face affect the time?

No. Changing the clock face changes the visual design of the watch display but does not affect what time is shown. The time itself is always pulled from the Fitbit app via sync.