Why Cant I Change the Date and Time on My iPhone?

iOS devices typically utilize GPS and cellular services to automatically set their date and time; however, for various reasons this feature may be disabled on your device.

Know how to change the date and time on your iPhone is an invaluable skill that could prevent you from missing important meetings or arriving late for flights. Here are a few steps you could try if the Set Automatically toggle is greyed out:

1. You’re not connected to the internet

Some iPhone users are experiencing an issue where the “Set Automatically” setting for their Date and Time settings has become inaccessible, making changing clock times difficult (especially during Daylight Savings or flights to another time zone). Luckily, however, this problem can be easily rectified.

Start by checking that your iPhone is connected to the internet by opening Control Center and inspecting whether the cellular button is green. If it isn’t, tap to enable cellular data and allow your iPhone to connect via 3G/4G/5G (depending on which network it uses).

If you are still having difficulty changing the date and time on your iPhone, it could be because your device is locked – often the case when using corporate profiles with device restrictions enabled. In this instance, Screen Time must be disabled before being able to make the change on your device.

If the “Set Automatically” switch for your Date and Time settings is greyed out, there are a few things you can try if the option doesn’t appear to work automatically. First, ensure Location Services is enabled; to do this navigate to Settings > General > Location Services and switch it on – this will allow iPhone to change date/time settings automatically based on location – something the “Set Automatically” switch should enable it do do.

If the Set Automatically switch is still enabled on your iPhone, it may be due to it being locked. You can unlock your phone by opening the Settings app and tapping “Screen Time”, which should allow you to change Date and Time settings as soon as Screen Time has been disabled. Alternatively, add a clock widget that displays current date/time information – but if that fails too then disabling Screen Time passcode might be required in order for any changes in Date/Time settings to take place.

2. You’re not in the right time zone

Your iPhone or iPad could be in an incorrect time zone if you travel frequently for either business or pleasure, and doesn’t automatically adjust to local timezone.

Your iPhone typically can set the correct date and time automatically by using GPS and cellular data to pinpoint your current location, changing time zones automatically so that calendar, emails, and other apps show accurate times when traveling.

Problem is, if your iPhone doesn’t know your location’s time zone correctly, calendar events will display incorrectly and may fail to sync with other Apple devices or third-party services. To rectify this, go into Settings and disabling “Set Automatically” from Date & Time pane; to do this simply tap the toggle switch next to “Set Automatically” then choose your proper timezone before tapping Apply Changes at bottom right of screen.

After this step is complete, ensure you turn back on the setting so your iPhone will automatically update the date and time during future travels. Also consider adding a clock widget to your home screen for quick reference of current time whenever needed.

If the date and time on your iPhone or iPad won’t change no matter what you try, this could be caused by carrier restrictions in certain regions or countries. Some carriers or regions block users’ ability to change it on iPhone devices through device restrictions in corporate profiles with device restrictions.

Problems arise when users enable Location Services but have yet to set their time zone in Settings; in order to remedy this, disable them first before specifying timezone on Date & Time pane of Settings in Privacy & Security section of settings. To do so, launch settings app on iPhone then scroll down until “Privacy & Security” section appears – then use option 1 above!

3. You’re not in the right country

No matter if it is for work or school travel, permanent relocation, or simply trying out apps not yet available in your own country, having an iPhone with the capability of changing App Store regions is incredibly useful. There are some simple steps you can follow to easily do just that!

Before changing country settings on an Apple ID associated with a business account, ensure it does not contain restrictions that impede you. If it does contain restrictions that impede this change, remove them so as to be able to change them successfully – see this guide for assistance if needed.

Make sure that no balances or pre-orders exist that prevent you from changing countries, in which case either spend or cancel them so as to be able to switch locations.

If after trying all of the steps listed here you still are unable to change your country or region, Apple Support could provide more specific help that goes beyond what this article can cover.

4. You’re not in the right region

Ideal, an iPhone should know the correct time based on its location and time zone of residence, making travel and international mover easy; but sometimes its clock can become unpredictable.

Fixing this is simple by changing your date and time settings on an iPhone. Whether you need to advance or reset by just minutes to avoid being late for appointments, or backtrack a few hours to be more punctual – the process should be straight-forward.

Your iPhone offers you a convenient tool for keeping track of the time automatically: its “Set Automatically” option automatically adjusts its clock to meet local time zones. As you travel or relocate between countries, its cellular connection and GPS will always ensure accurate timekeeping – providing you with accurate displays!

Unfortunately, many users have reported that the “Set Automatically” option on their iPhone or iPad is grayed-out and unaccessible – this could be caused by Screen Time enabled or using work profiles with device restrictions. Some readers have reported success by turning off WiFi for 20-30 seconds before turning back on as this may resolve this problem for them.

If none of these tips has solved your issue, you may be suffering from a software bug. Try updating to the most up-to-date iOS version; find this by going into Settings -> General -> Software Update and finding it there.

Or you could contact Apple Support directly. Their representatives can assist with troubleshooting the issue over the phone, online, or at an Apple Store near you – just be sure to bring along your Apple ID and password. They can help change your App Store region quickly so you’re back up and running fast!