Daylight Saving Time Ends Nov. 1, 2026: What to Know

It is the time of year when Americans search "when do the clocks change?" The answer for 2026: daylight saving time (DST) ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks in most of the country fall back one hour. Here is a quick, practical guide to the change, including who is affected, what to reset and the latest on efforts in Congress to stop changing the clocks.

What we know: when the clocks change

According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. government's official timekeeper, daylight saving time in 2026 runs from March 8 to Nov. 1. The switch back to standard time happens at the same local time in every time zone:

Definition: Daylight saving time is the part of the year when clocks are set one hour ahead of standard time, which shifts an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. Standard time is the clock time used the rest of the year. The memory aid is "spring forward, fall back."

The current rules

Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which took effect in 2007, DST:

• Begins at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March
• Ends at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November
• Lasts 238 days, about 65% of the year

These rules come from NIST, which notes that DST and time zones are regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The next start date is Sunday, March 14, 2027, according to timeanddate.com.

Who changes their clocks, and who doesn't

Clocks fall back in 48 states and Washington, D.C. A few places stay on standard time all year, so their clocks do not change:

• Hawaii
• Arizona, except the Navajo Nation, which does observe DST
• Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands

Sources: NIST and timeanddate.com.

Because Arizona doesn't change, the time difference between Phoenix and California shifts with the seasons. After Nov. 1, Phoenix is one hour ahead of Los Angeles; during DST, they show the same time.

Outside the U.S., Europe ended its summer time a week earlier, on Oct. 25. Several Canadian provinces are moving toward year-round time, and Alberta will not set its clocks back this year, timeanddate.com reports.

What to do before you go to bed Saturday

Most phones, computers and smartwatches update automatically. NIST notes that computer clocks rely on the operating system for DST, so keep your software updated. Radio-controlled clocks that receive NIST's time signal should switch on their own.

Things you will probably need to reset by hand:

• Car dashboard clock
• Oven, microwave and coffee maker
• Wall clocks, wristwatches and older alarm clocks
• Thermostats, sprinkler timers and some security-camera systems

A good reminder for home safety: The U.S. Fire Administration advises testing smoke alarms every month, replacing 9-volt smoke alarm batteries at least once a year and replacing smoke alarms every 10 years. The clock change is an easy moment to check yours.

What changes after Nov. 1

• Earlier sunsets by the clock. Sunset moves about an hour earlier on the clock overnight, so evening commutes get darker.
• Brighter mornings, for now. Sunrise also comes an hour earlier by the clock, before the days keep shortening toward the winter solstice.
• Time differences shift for calls with places that don't change, such as Arizona and Hawaii, and with Europe, which changed a week earlier.

It is also a busy week: Nov. 1 is the day after Halloween and a possible World Series Game 7, and it comes two days before Election Day on Nov. 3.

What's next: will America stop changing the clocks?

The fight over clock changes is back in the news.

• House vote: The U.S. House passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, on July 14, 2026, by a vote of 308 to 117, timeanddate.com reports.
• Senate: The bill has not passed the Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in early October that "there's no clear path forward or consensus on it yet," USA Today reported, citing an interview with Politico. President Trump has pushed for the bill, while Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas has led opposition to it, according to The Hill.
• The trade-off: Supporters want more evening daylight all year. Opponents point to very late winter sunrises. Cotton has said permanent DST would "push winter sunrises to an absurdly late hour," and Sen. Roger Wicker cited "safety concerns in the more northern and rural states where children get on the school bus in very early hours," USA Today reported.

Even if a bill passes, it would not change this year's schedule. Clocks will fall back on Nov. 1, 2026, as planned.

The bottom line

Set your manual clocks back one hour before bed on Saturday, Oct. 31, or when you wake up Sunday, Nov. 1. Enjoy the extra hour, expect earlier sunsets and mark March 14, 2027, for the next change. For more everyday trends, visit our Lifestyle section.