The clocks go forward this Sunday (29 March), marking the official return of longer days and lighter evenings as we say goodbye to the grey, wet winter we've all been trudging through. The only catch, of course, is that we lose an hour of sleep in the process.
The good news is that most of our devices, and even newer car models like Tesla, all update automatically in the background so we don't really have to think about it. However, those of us with older car models will still have to do it the manual way.
Yet even with the smartest devices, some apps don't always make the transition quite as smoothly as they should.
Which apps are most likely to glitch when the clocks go forward?
Calendar apps
If there's one category most likely to cause headaches, it's calendar apps. Platforms like Apple Calendar, Google Calendar and Outlook can behave oddly around Daylight Saving Time (DST), especially if you're dealing with shared calendars or regular meetings.
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If your timezone settings aren't aligned across devices, you might find appointments have quietly moved themselves by the time Monday morning rolls around.
Clock apps
Perhaps the most obvious one, but worth flagging are clock apps. Your iPhone Clock app, Android alarms, and sleep-tracking apps can all be thrown off by the time change.
Alarms have been known to fire at the wrong time or skip entirely during DST transitions on iOS, so it's worth double-checking anything important before you head to bed on Saturday night.
Messaging and scheduling apps
Got a message or reminder set to go out at a specific time? It's worth checking, as messaging apps like WhatsApp, Slack, and Microsoft Teams can be affected by DST, causing scheduled messages and reminders to go out an hour early or an hour late. It's an easy one to miss until it's already happened.
Travel, maps and booking apps
If you're planning to travel around the time of the clock change, keep a close eye on apps like Uber, The Train Line and any airline apps you're using.
This is because pickup times and bookings tied to local time can fall out of sync which can get messy if you’re crossing time zones or booking anything overnight. A quick double-check before you travel could save a lot of stress.
Miscellaneous apps
Weather widgets, fitness trackers and smart home routines can all experience a brief lag as they catch up with the new time. While they will eventually update, don't be alarmed if things seem slightly out of step for a short while after the change.
How to avoid app glitches when the clocks go forward
To reduce the chance of your apps glitching, make sure to turn 'Set time automatically' on and force-refresh them as soon as possible, the following Monday morning.
Also, double-check your Monday morning alarms and meetings before you go to sleep on Saturday. If anything looks off, try toggling your timezone settings off and back on, or give the app a quick restart.
When do the clocks go forward?
In the UK, clocks go forward by one hour at 01.00 am (GMT) on Sunday, 29 March 2026.
Do we lose an hour of sleep when the clocks go forward?
Moving the clocks forward means we will lose an extra hour in bed this Monday (30 March).
When do clocks change elsewhere in the world?
Across Europe, clocks change on the last Sunday of March and October at 01:00 UTC, while the US switches on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November.
Countries in the Southern Hemisphere, like Australia and New Zealand, shift in September/October and again in March/April.