Technology Wearables

How To Change The Time On Your Garmin Watch

Garmin venu on hand Nguyenducquang/Getty Images
By Shinaayomi Abioye/

Watches these days have moved past just telling time; with features like the ability to make phone calls, send texts, browse the internet, monitor fitness and health metrics, and more, they have evolved into user-friendly and powerful devices — capable of replacing even the smartphone in handling everyday tasks. Despite these leaps in Watch technology, the watch still hasn't strayed from its original use of being a timekeeper. They still have the watch face sporting a big display to accurately display the time.

Though different from the olden times when you only had analog time, there are now digital clocks, and on both kinds of clocks, you get lots of customizations. From the looks and design of the watch clock to the color of the second and minute hands and for the digital clock, you can use a 24-hour time or a 12-hour time, depending on your preference. One brand of watches that has stayed among the list of the best is Garmin watches. Changing the time on your Garmin watch can be done in two different ways.

How to Manually Change the Time on Your Garmin Watch

Garmin watch on table Nguyenducquang/Getty Images

There are several reasons you might need to adjust the time on your Garmin Watch. For example, if you're changing your location, you'll want to make sure your watch is synced with the local time. Or perhaps a software update messed up your watch's time, and you just want to set things straight. Regardless of the reason, whether you own an older Garmin watch or one of the newer models, the process of adjusting the time remains consistent when you're using your watch settings.

  1. Power on your Garmin Watch.

  2. Long-press the Menu button.

  3. Scroll down to Settings.

  4. Go to System.

  5. Tap on Time.

  6. Click Set time.

  7. Select Manual.

After choosing Manual, you will find a new option labeled Time, showing your current time. Click this option and scroll to pick the correct hour and minute you wish to set. Once completed, confirm your selection, and your updated time will be saved.

How to Automatically Change the Time on Your Garmin Watch

Garmin sports GPS watch Hsu Shih-chen/Getty Images

If you're not up for manually adjusting your Garmin watch's time through its settings, you can opt for a more automated approach using GPS. This method is useful when changing time zones, as it uses available satellites in your new location to synchronize your Garmin Watch with the local time. To do this:

  1. Long press the Menu button on your watch.

  2. Scroll down to find Settings.

  3. Navigate to System.

  4. Tap on Time.

  5. Continue scrolling until you find Sync with GPS.

A message will pop up saying, "Acquiring Satellites." If you're outdoors in a location where your watch can establish a connection with nearby satellites, your time should automatically adjust to match the current time zone in just a few seconds. Another method to automatically update your Garmin watch's time is by connecting it to the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone.

  1. Hold down the Menu button on your watch.

  2. Go to Settings.

  3. Tap Pair Phone.

  4. You will be prompted to install the Garmin Connect mobile app on your smartphone. Once you've installed the app, open it.

  5. Tap the watch logo in the top right corner of the app's home screen.

  6. Select Add Device.

  7. Your watch should pop up; click Connect.

  8. Tap OK.

After you type in the Bluetooth pairing PIN sent to your watch from the mobile app, follow the simple setup process, and your Garmin watch will sync up with your smartphone's time.

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