You can set the time on a smartwatch without an app only on some brands. A Samsung Galaxy Watch lets you set it by hand in Settings > General > Date and time when it is not paired to a phone, but Apple Watch, Huawei, Xiaomi, Amazfit and most cheap Chinese smartwatches (the ones using Da Fit, FitPro, FitCloudPro or H Band) take their time only from the paired phone. For those watches, the fix is to correct the phone’s time and reconnect the watch to its app once.
Last checked: 20 October 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Smartwatch time setting: which brands allow it without an app
Check this table first so you do not waste time hunting for a menu your watch does not have.
| Watch | Set time on the watch itself? | Where the time comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Watch | Yes, when not paired with a phone | Phone when paired; manual otherwise |
| Apple Watch | No. You can only show the face up to 59 minutes ahead | Paired iPhone |
| Huawei Watch and Band | No, only 12/24-hour format | Phone via Huawei Health (eSIM models can sync on their own) |
| Xiaomi Smart Band and Watch | No | Phone via Mi Fitness |
| Amazfit | No, only time and date format | Phone via Zepp app |
| Generic Chinese smartwatches (Da Fit, FitPro, FitCloudPro, H Band) | Usually no | Phone, the moment the app connects |
The honest answer for most budget watches sold online and in local markets: there is no time menu at all. The watch keeps a clock, but it is set by the phone app over Bluetooth. If your watch is in this group, skip to the section on cheap smartwatches below.
How to set time on a smartwatch without an app (Samsung Galaxy Watch)
Samsung’s support page says the date and time set themselves when the watch is paired with a phone, and you can set them manually only when the watch is not paired (Samsung UK: How to use the Galaxy Watch).
- On the watch, open Settings.
- Tap General, then Date and time.
- Tap Set date, adjust day, month and year, then tap Done.
- Tap Set time, adjust hour and minute, then tap Done.
If the menu items are greyed out, the watch is still paired and is taking the phone’s time. Fix the time on the phone instead, or unpair if you really want to run the watch standalone.
Apple Watch: you cannot set the time by hand
Apple Watch always uses the time from your iPhone. What Apple does allow is showing the watch face ahead of the real time, which some people like so they are never late (Apple Support: Change the time settings on your Apple Watch).
- On the watch, open Settings > Clock.
- Tap +0 min.
- Turn the Digital Crown to choose how far ahead (up to 59 minutes).
- Tap Done.
Alarms, notifications and World Clock still use the real time. For 24-hour time, open the Apple Watch app on the iPhone, tap Clock and turn on 24-Hour Time.
If the Apple Watch shows the wrong hour, check the iPhone: Settings > General > Date & Time > Set Automatically. Buying a second-hand Apple Watch? Make sure the seller unpairs it from their iPhone in front of you, the same kind of check you would do when you buy a used iPhone.
Huawei, Xiaomi and Amazfit: time follows the phone
Huawei Watch and Huawei Band
Huawei states that connecting the wearable syncs the phone’s time and language, and that “time and language settings cannot be adjusted independently on a wearable device” (Huawei Support: Time and language settings). On Watch 3 and Watch 4 series you can switch to 24-hour time in Settings > System & updates > Date & time.
Huawei also explains why the time drifts: after Bluetooth disconnects, a watch can drift about 5 seconds a day, so a watch that has not connected to Huawei Health for weeks will be off. Its fix is to open Huawei Health, tap Connect, pull down to refresh and wait for the sync (Huawei Support: watch time differs from phone). Watch 3 and later can sync time independently if the eSIM is on and the watch is in Standard mode.
Xiaomi Smart Band and Xiaomi Watch
Xiaomi says the device’s time is calibrated with the phone’s time when connected. If the battery dies, the band may show the old time after charging until you reconnect it to the phone (Xiaomi Support: calibrate the time).
Amazfit
The Amazfit Active manual says the watch “automatically follows the system time and time format of your phone” once synced with the Zepp app. You can change the 12/24-hour format and date format on the watch under Settings > Watch Face & Time, but the manual describes no manual clock setting (Amazfit Active user manual).
Cheap Chinese smartwatches (Da Fit, FitPro, H Band, FitCloudPro)
Most low-cost smartwatches, including T-series, “Ultra” lookalikes and fitness bands, pair with a generic app such as Da Fit (by MO YOUNG), FitPro, H Band or FitCloudPro. Their manuals are blunt about it. A FitCloudPro watch manual says: “Once the device is successfully connected to the APP, the time and date will be synchronized with your phone” (FITVII user manual).
So if your watch has no Date and time menu, it cannot be set by hand. The quickest fix still takes under two minutes:
- On your phone, make sure the time zone and time are correct (automatic network time is best).
- Install the app named in the watch’s manual or on the box. Scanning the QR code in the watch’s settings usually opens the right download page.
- Turn on Bluetooth and location, open the app and connect the watch.
- Once it shows Connected, the watch clock updates. You can then close the app.
You do not have to keep the app installed forever. The watch keeps time on its own after one sync, until the battery runs flat. Borrowing a friend’s phone for one sync also works, but unpair afterwards so their notifications do not reach your wrist.
Common mistakes and quick fixes
- Wrong hour by exactly one or more hours: the phone’s time zone is wrong. Fix it on the phone, then reconnect.
- Time resets after the battery dies: normal on budget watches and Xiaomi bands. Charge, then reconnect to the app once.
- Watch shows 12-hour time but phone shows 24-hour: change the format on the watch (Huawei, Amazfit) or in the app.
- Asking Siri or Google Assistant to “set the time”: this does not change the watch clock. Assistants can set alarms and timers, not the system time.
- Factory reset as a first step: avoid it. It deletes data and the watch will still need the phone for time.
Planning to buy a watch with its own eSIM or SIM slot from abroad? Ask PTA or the seller whether it needs DIRBS registration before you pay; our PTA tax guide explains how registration works for phones. Also keep track of which SIM number it uses.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set the time on my smartwatch without the app?
On a Samsung Galaxy Watch, go to Settings > General > Date and time while it is not paired. Most other brands, including Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, Amazfit and budget watches, only take the time from the phone.
Why does my smartwatch show the wrong time?
Usually the phone’s time zone is wrong, the watch has not connected to its app for a long time, or the battery died. Fix the phone and reconnect once.
Can I change the time on an Apple Watch?
Not the real time. You can only set the watch face to show up to 59 minutes ahead in Settings > Clock.
Which app do I need for my Chinese smartwatch?
Check the manual, the box or the QR code in the watch settings. Common ones are Da Fit, FitPro, H Band and FitCloudPro.
Do I need to keep the app installed?
No. One successful connection sets the clock. You need the app again only if the time drifts or the battery runs out.
Can GPS set my smartwatch time?
None of the official pages we checked for these brands describe a GPS time option, so do not rely on it. Use the phone sync.
Sources
- Samsung UK: How to use the Galaxy Watch
- Apple Support: Change the time settings on your Apple Watch
- Huawei: Time and language settings on your watch/band
- Huawei: The time on my watch is different from my phone
- Xiaomi: Calibrate the time of Smart Watch and Smart Band
- Amazfit Active user manual
- FITVII smartwatch manual (FitCloudPro app)
- Da Fit on the App Store
