Clocks Go Back in 2026: UK and US Dates, Calls and Phone Checks
| KEYWORD_WORLD · Life · Checked 22 October 2026 (KST) |
UK clocks go back one hour on Sunday, 25 October 2026. US places that observe daylight saving time make the change on Sunday, 1 November. Both changes happen at 2 a.m. local time, when the clock returns to 1 a.m.
That one-week difference matters for calls, online bookings and shared calendars. Start with the date and city of the appointment. Then check your phone and any clock you adjust by hand.
Two Sundays, with local exceptions
The UK government’s clock-change page lists 25 October for 2026. The UK moves from British Summer Time (BST), its summer clock setting, to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). At the change, 2 a.m. BST becomes 1 a.m. GMT.
| Place | Clock change · local time |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 25 October 2026 2 a.m. → 1 a.m. |
| US areas observing DST | 1 November 2026 2 a.m. → 1 a.m. |
DST means daylight saving time: a seasonal clock setting one hour ahead of standard time. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) confirms the 1 November end date. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe DST; the Navajo reservation does. Check the city, not just the country.
The hour from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. happens twice on the relevant change night. If an overnight booking says only “1:30 a.m.”, ask the organiser which occurrence it means and confirm the full date, city and time-zone label. Keep the answer with the booking.
A 9 a.m. New York call changes in London
Here is our worked example. Assume the host keeps the call at 9 a.m. New York local time on each date. These are separate example dates around the two changes, not a claim about how any particular recurring invitation is stored.
| 2026 date · New York start | London time for the same call |
|---|---|
| 23 October · 9 a.m. | 2 p.m. · London is 5 hours ahead |
| 26 October · 9 a.m. | 1 p.m. · London is 4 hours ahead |
| 2 November · 9 a.m. | 2 p.m. · London is 5 hours ahead |
On 26 October, the UK has changed its clocks and New York has yet to do so. Our calculation is 9 + 4 = 13, or 1 p.m. A London participant relying on the earlier 2 p.m. pattern would arrive one hour late in this example.
If the host instead keeps a fixed London start, the New York time is the one that shifts. Agree which city’s local clock anchors the appointment before changing a shared invitation.
Google Calendar’s official instructions explain that an event appears in each invited person’s local time. For a new event on a computer, use Create → Event → More options → Time zone, search for the intended city or country, and select its zone.
For a side-by-side check, open Settings → General → Time zone → Show additional time zones and choose a secondary zone. Reopen the actual appointment on both sides of the change and compare the displayed dates and times. If they disagree with the organiser’s intention, resolve that specific occurrence first.
Check automatic time and the time zone separately
A correct minute display and a correct time zone are two things to check. NIST explains that a computer’s operating system applies local-zone and DST corrections, and recommends keeping its software up to date.
On iPhone: Apple’s support guide says to connect to the internet, install current software updates, then open Settings → General → Date & Time → Set Time Automatically.
Apple also describes a time-zone option in System Services, within Location Services, that uses your location. If the device reports new time-zone data, Apple advises a restart, including any paired Apple Watch. A greyed-out control may reflect carrier or regional limits, Screen Time protection or device-management rules; use the guide’s troubleshooting steps.
On Android: Google’s Clock instructions start at Clock → More → Settings → Change date and time. Check Automatic date and time and, under Time zone, Automatic time zone. Availability varies by device, and location may be used to identify the zone.
The Android guide also shows how to add cities through Clock → World Clock → Add. Adding London and New York gives you a quick comparison for the example above. Check the display after the automatic change. Adjust it manually only if it remains wrong and the device’s instructions call for it.
For a separate wall clock, car clock or older device, consult its instructions. Make a short list of the clocks you actually use, and mark each one as automatic, manual or still to check. Verify important alarms’ displayed dates and times after the change.
Keep four details with the appointment
Before confirming a call or timed booking, write down:
- The complete date. Include the year when you share a screenshot or save a note.
- The city and time zone. “New York, 9 a.m.” gives the other person more useful context than “9 a.m.” alone.
- Your local converted time. Check it for that event date, especially during the 26–30 October working week.
- The source of the time. Use the organiser’s current invitation or booking page and ask about any difference before editing the shared event.
This checklist is our editorial suggestion. Keep the organiser’s confirmed details with the event, so you can resolve a mismatch without guessing which time was intended.
For a practical New York booking example, our MoMA guide below keeps the screening date, ticket-release date and local start time together.
Which is easier to miss in your routine: a clock you set by hand, or a call across time zones? Leave a general example in the comments, and share this guide with someone arranging an autumn call.
Sources and dates: Upcoming changes: UK, 25 October 2026; participating US areas, 1 November. Checked 22 October 2026 (KST). GOV.UK, NIST, Apple and Google guidance were reopened for this check. These are existing rules and instructions, checked for the approaching changes. Call conversions and the appointment checklist are KEYWORD_WORLD’s examples. Device menus and local rules can change, so reopen the linked official guidance when needed.
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