Daylight saving time 2026: when do the clocks change?
Daylight saving time shifts the clock by one hour twice a year. Below are the exact dates for the EU, UK, US, Canada and Australia, and how the switch moves your sunrise and sunset times.
In 92 days: the clocks go forward in the Australia (observing states) on Sunday, 4 October 2026.
Daylight saving time dates
| Region | Clocks forward | Clocks back |
|---|---|---|
| European UnionGermany, France, Spain, Italy, Romania, Poland | Sunday, 29 March 2026 | Sunday, 25 October 2026 |
| United KingdomEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland | Sunday, 29 March 2026 | Sunday, 25 October 2026 |
| United States & CanadaNew York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto | Sunday, 8 March 2026 | Sunday, 1 November 2026 |
| Australia (observing states)Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart | Sunday, 4 October 2026 | Sunday, 5 April 2026 |
| Region | Clocks forward | Clocks back |
|---|---|---|
| European UnionGermany, France, Spain, Italy, Romania, Poland | Sunday, 28 March 2027 | Sunday, 31 October 2027 |
| United KingdomEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland | Sunday, 28 March 2027 | Sunday, 31 October 2027 |
| United States & CanadaNew York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto | Sunday, 14 March 2027 | Sunday, 7 November 2027 |
| Australia (observing states)Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart | Sunday, 3 October 2027 | Sunday, 4 April 2027 |
How the switch affects sunrise and sunset
Daylight saving time does not change the sun. It changes the clock. When the clocks go forward in spring, the sun still rises at the same astronomical moment, but the clock now reads one hour later, so sunrise and sunset both appear an hour later on paper. In autumn the opposite happens and both move an hour earlier.
That is why the morning after a spring change feels darker and the evening feels lighter. Solarc always shows sunrise, sunset and twilight in the local clock time that applies on the date you pick, so a daylight saving switch is handled for you. Check your own times on the sunrise near me and sunset near me pages, or open the interactive map and step across the transition date.
Frequently asked questions
Do the clocks go forward or back?▼
In spring the clocks go forward by one hour, which shortens that night and shifts daylight into the evening. In autumn they go back by one hour, lengthening that night. A common reminder is "spring forward, fall back".
Why do we have daylight saving time?▼
Daylight saving time moves an hour of daylight from the early morning, when many people are asleep, to the evening. It was widely adopted to make better use of natural light and, historically, to save energy.
Does daylight saving time change sunrise and sunset times?▼
The sun itself does not change, but the clock does. When the clocks go forward, the listed sunrise and sunset times both jump one hour later. Solarc always shows times in the local clock time that applies on the date you choose, so the switch is handled automatically.
Which countries use daylight saving time?▼
Most of Europe, North America, and parts of Australia, New Zealand and South America observe it. Most of Asia, Africa, and countries near the equator do not, because daylight length barely changes there through the year.
Are daylight saving dates the same everywhere?▼
No. The EU and UK switch on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October. The US and Canada switch on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November. Southern-hemisphere observers switch in the opposite months.