When daylight saving time ends in 2026: Date clocks 'fall back' one hour

By
FOX 5 NY
Published October 21, 2026 1:02 PM EDT

The Brief

    • The annual end of daylight saving time is approaching, giving most Americans an extra hour of sleep overnight.
    • The seasonal shift requires manual adjustments for analog wall clocks and household appliances, while most smartphones and digital devices update automatically.
    • While standard time takes effect across the majority of the nation through next spring, two states and several U.S. territories do not participate in the biannual clock change.

NEW YORK - As autumn settles in and the days grow shorter, an extra hour of sleep is right around the corner.

When does daylight saving time end in 2026?

Timeline:

Daylight saving time officially ends on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at 2 a.m. local time. At that moment, clocks "fall back" one hour to 1 a.m., marking the official nationwide return to standard time.

Most digital clocks, smartphones, computers and connected smart home devices will update automatically overnight. However, analog wall clocks, car dashboards, microwaves and ovens will need to be manually adjusted before going to bed on Saturday night, Oct. 31.

What does the time change mean for daylight? 

By the numbers:

The extra hour of rest comes with a noticeable trade-off for afternoon daylight.

Once clocks fall back, sunrise and sunset will occur roughly one hour earlier. While that means brighter skies for morning commutes and early bus stops, darkness will settle in much earlier in the evening, with late-afternoon daylight fading quickly across the region throughout the winter months.

Looking ahead to spring 2027

The other side:

Standard time will remain in place for roughly four months through the coldest stretch of the year.

Daylight saving time will return on Sunday, March 14, 2027, at 2 a.m. local time. That is when clocks will "spring forward" one hour to 3 a.m., shifting an hour of daylight back to the evening and costing an hour of sleep heading into spring.

Do all states change their clocks?

Big picture view:

Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and concludes on the first Sunday in November.

However, not every part of the country observes the biannual switch. Hawaii and the majority of Arizona remain on standard time year-round and do not change their clocks. Several U.S. territories—including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands—also do not participate in daylight saving time.

The Source: This article was written using time guidelines and regulations from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Uniform Time Act.

Us FtsNews