When do the clocks change in 2026? The answer depends on where you live. In the U.K. and most of Europe, clocks will “fall back” one hour on Sunday, Oct. 25, while most people in the U.S. and Canada will wait another week, until Sunday, Nov. 1, according to Timeanddate.com . Here’s everything you need to know about when to change the clocks in 2026.

Do you get an extra hour in bed when the clocks go back?

Yes! In both cases, the clock change means an extra hour overnight as daylight saving time — known as British Summer Time in the U.K. — ends. After the change, sunrise and sunset will occur about an hour earlier, bringing lighter mornings and darker evenings.

Do the clocks go forward or back in fall?

An easy way to remember it is “spring forward, fall back.” Most smartphones update automatically if “set automatically/use network time” is enabled, but manual clocks need to be changed.

When Do The Clocks Go Back In The U.S. And Canada?

Clocks will be set back one hour at 2 a.m. (to 1 a.m.) local time on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, across most of the U.S. and Canada, giving an extra hour on the clock. In the U.S., DST always begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

Which U.S. States And Canadian Provinces Don’t Observe DST?

Two U.S. states do not observe daylight saving time. Arizona remains on Mountain Standard Time year-round (except in the Navajo Nation, which observes DST), while Hawaii permanently uses Hawaii Standard Time. DST is not used in the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In Canada, DST is not observed in Yukon, most of Saskatchewan, some regions of British Columbia, Southampton Island in Nunavut and some communities in eastern Quebec. Alberta will not turn its clocks back on Nov. 1, 2026, having adopted permanent Alberta Time (previously called Mountain Daylight Time), according to Timeanddate.com .

When Do The Clocks Go Back In The U.K.?

The clocks go back one week earlier in the U.K., at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. At that moment, clocks go back one hour to 1 a.m., ending British Summer Time (BST) and returning the U.K. to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The U.K. always changes its clocks on the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October each year.

When Do The Clocks Go Back In Europe?

Most European countries will also turn their clocks back on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, the same date as the U.K.

The exact local time of the change depends on the time zone. In countries using Central European Summer Time — including France, Germany, Italy and Spain — clocks go back from 3 a.m. CEST to 2 a.m. CET.

That creates an unusual one-week period between Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 when Europe has returned to standard time, but most of the U.S. and Canada are still observing daylight saving time. The time difference across the Atlantic will therefore temporarily be an hour smaller than usual.

The U.S. adopted DST nationwide in 1918 during World War I to extend daylight working hours and save fuel, according to Live Science . It’s been used across the U.S. since the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which created a standardized time system (though it allows states to opt out and observe standard time).

The U.K. first introduced daylight saving time in 1916. Today, the system takes advantage of the large seasonal variation in daylight caused by Earth’s 23.5-degree axial tilt, shifting an hour of usable daylight from the morning to the evening during the warmer months.

The Sunshine Protection Act Stalls

The Sunshine Protection Act — which would make daylight saving time the new, permanent standard time — took a major step forward this year when the U.S. House of Representatives passed it by 308 votes to 117 on July 14, 2026. However, the bill has not yet been enacted, according to USA Today , and was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on July 15.

Polling in 2025–2026 showed that most Americans want to end twice-yearly clock changes. A Gallup survey with three choices found that 48% favor permanent standard time, 24% permanent DST, and 19% keeping the current system, according to Newsweek .

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.