· Brown Walrus · Updated

Alberta time zone: how to fix a clock or meeting that's an hour off

In effect since November 1, 2026

Also stopped clock changes on November 1: B.C. · Manitoba

Alberta's clocks didn't fall back on November 1, 2026. The province now stays on Alberta Time (ABT, UTC−6) all year, the same time as Saskatchewan. It's the time Albertans used to call Mountain Daylight Time, which you've had since March 2026.

The Government of Alberta ↗ expects most devices to update on their own, but some older ones may not.

Something wrong?

  • Clock, phone or computer an hour behind? Fix the device.
  • Websites, Gmail or Outlook on the web an hour behind? Update your browser.
  • Meeting an hour late? Check your calendar.
  • Meeting from November 1 on an hour early? The device or app you're looking at hasn't updated, or has the wrong time zone. Fix the device and don't move the meeting.
  • Meeting with Toronto, the East or most of the U.S. moved? That's usually correct: see the time differences.
  • Meeting with B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba or the N.W.T. moved? It shouldn't have: check your calendar.

What to do

  1. Fix the time zone, not the hour. If a device has a time zone setting, don't move its clock an hour by hand. If you turned an oven or other hand-set clock back out of habit, set it forward an hour again.
  2. Update and restart your phone and computers, then check the time zone: Windows PC · Mac · iPhone or iPad · Android · Other devices. On a Windows PC, also update your web browser.
  3. Check meetings from November 1 on. Some may show an hour late: checklist · Outlook · Google Calendar · Apple Calendar.
  4. Run a business? Also check phone system hours, time clocks, and door and alarm schedules: office checklist.

Brown Walrus client?

  • What we did: we've updated the time zone on most of the Windows work computers we manage. Yours probably needs nothing.
  • To check yours: open Start → Settings → Time & language → Date & time. Time zone should show (UTC-06:00) Mountain Time (Alberta). (UTC-06:00) Saskatchewan is OK for now.
  • Your part: check your meetings from November 1 on. Work Mac? Follow the Mac steps.
  • Something else? If Time zone shows anything else, such as (UTC-07:00) Mountain Time (US & Canada), call 780-540-7606 or get in touch. Do the same if websites or Outlook on the web are an hour off.
Most important

Check your appointments from November 1 on

Fixing your computer's time zone does not fix appointments that already exist. Calendar apps got the new Alberta rules late, some only in October. Appointments booked before your app got them may show an hour late: a 9:00 a.m. meeting showing at 10:00 a.m.

Expect some mix-ups for a while. Even once your calendar is right, other people's may not be. Their invitations can be an hour off, and yours can look wrong to them.

If a time is wrong

Meeting with Toronto, the East or most of the U.S.? If it moved, that's usually correct: check the time differences before changing anything.

An hour early instead? The device or app you're looking at usually hasn't updated, or has the wrong time zone. Fix its time zone (steps for your device) and don't move the meeting.

How to fix Outlook

Outlook doesn't move existing meetings on its own. Set your calendar's time zone first, then fix the meetings you organized.

Set your calendar's time zone

  • New Outlook and Outlook on the web: open Settings → Calendar → View. Set Display my calendar in time zone to (UTC-06:00) Mountain Time (Alberta).
  • Classic Outlook: it uses the Windows time zone, so set that first (Windows steps). Changing Time zone in File → Options → Calendar changes Windows too. If Windows is on Saskatchewan for now, leave Outlook on it too.
  • Outlook for Mac: install the latest update (Help → Check for Updates). If the new Alberta time zone in its Calendar settings shows UTC−06:00, make it your default. If not, don't choose it yet. Set up and change meetings in Outlook on the web at outlook.office.com instead.
  • Outlook phone app: new meetings use your phone's time zone. The app can't fix existing meetings yet, so fix those in Outlook on the web or the desktop app.

Outlook asks to change your meeting hours time zone? Select No, not Yes, update. With the new Alberta setting there, others may not see your free and busy times. Microsoft is still looking into it.

Already selected Yes? Set the meeting hours time zone to (UTC-06:00) Saskatchewan for now. It has the same time as Alberta. In a week or two, check Microsoft's guidance below for a fix. Once it's fixed, switch back to (UTC-06:00) Mountain Time (Alberta).

Fix a meeting you organized

  • New Outlook and Outlook on the web:
    1. Open the meeting. For a recurring one, choose Edit series.
    2. Select the time to expand it.
    3. Select the time zone (globe) button and choose Mountain Time (Alberta).
    4. Check the start time is the time you agreed, for example 9:00 a.m., not 10:00 a.m. Correct it if not.
    5. Save and send.
  • Classic Outlook: for a single meeting, open it and use Time zones. For a recurring series, use Edit Recurrence. If it shows no time zone, open a new appointment, tick Time zones, then try again.
  • Recurring meeting with no end date? Give it an end date first. Outlook can't change the time zone of a series that never ends.
  • Send the update to everyone. Forwarding the meeting doesn't fix the time for your guests.
  • Watch out: changing the time zone of a recurring series resets any one-off changes in it, such as a single meeting moved to another day. Re-create those afterwards.

Outlook for Mac or the phone app shows meetings from November 1 an hour late? Some people see this while Outlook on the web shows them correctly. Microsoft is looking into it. Until it's fixed, go by Outlook on the web at outlook.office.com.

Microsoft: Outlook time zone changes for British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba ↗ · Guidance for Microsoft 365 admins ↗

How to fix Google Calendar

Appointments on or after November 1 that were created before September 8 could show an hour late. Google said it would move most of them back automatically in October. When Google moves an event, your guests are asked to RSVP again.

Google does not fix invitations that came from Outlook, or recurring events where one meeting was changed. Fix those yourself.

  • Check Google's own time zone: on a computer, at calendar.google.com, select the gear, then Settings. Under Time zone, Primary time zone should name Edmonton, not Denver or another U.S. city.
  • Use a computer: at calendar.google.com, affected events show a warning with a Move one hour earlier button. The phone apps don't show it.
  • Recurring event: open the next meeting in the series on or after November 1 and select Move one hour earlier. Choose This and following events, then redo any changes you'd made to single meetings in the series.
  • Invitation from someone using Outlook: if the time looks wrong, ask them to resend it with the right time. Forwarding it doesn't fix the time.

Google: Fix Calendar events for Canadian daylight saving time ↗ · Guidance for Google Workspace admins ↗

How to fix Apple Calendar (iPhone, iPad, Mac)

  1. Restart your iPhone, iPad or Mac first: see the steps for your device.
  2. Check appointments from November 1 on against the original confirmations, especially invitations that came from Outlook or Google.
  3. If your work email is Microsoft 365, also check your calendar in Outlook on the web at outlook.office.com.

Apple hasn't published guidance for existing events.

Fix the time zone on your phone and computer

Don't add or subtract an hour by hand

On a device with a time zone setting, fix the time zone instead. Install updates and restart. If a device makes you pick a time zone:

  • Choose Mountain Time (Alberta) or Edmonton. An Alberta city such as Calgary is fine too.
  • No Alberta option, or still an hour behind with it? Choose Saskatchewan or Regina for now. They show the same time.
  • Avoid Mountain Time (US & Canada).

If a device shows the time an hour behind, it hasn't updated yet or is set to the wrong time zone. Follow its steps below.

Windows

Clock an hour behind? Follow the steps below, then check the clock. Only websites an hour behind? Update your web browser.

These steps are for a home PC. Work computer? If Brown Walrus manages it, see the Brown Walrus client box at the top. Otherwise, ask your IT support first.

  1. Open Start → Settings → Windows Update. On Windows 10, it's Start → Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update.
  2. Select Check for updates and install anything available. Save your work first, then restart if asked.
  3. Open Start → Settings → Time & language → Date & time.
  4. Set time automatically: make sure it's on. If you see Adjust for daylight saving time automatically, make sure it's on too. With it off, Mountain Time (Alberta) can show the time an hour behind.
  5. Set time zone automatically: turn it off.
  6. Open the Time zone list and look for (UTC-06:00) Mountain Time (Alberta). Check the whole list: it may not sit next to the other UTC−06:00 entries.

If you see Mountain Time (Alberta)

  1. Select (UTC-06:00) Mountain Time (Alberta).
  2. If you see Sync now, select it. Then check that the time is right.

If you don't see it yet

  1. Select (UTC-06:00) Saskatchewan for now. It's on UTC−06:00 all year, so it shows the same time as Alberta.
  2. If you see Sync now, select it. Then check that the time is right.
  3. In a few days, run Windows Update again. Once Mountain Time (Alberta) appears, switch to it.

A PC that no longer gets Windows updates, such as Windows 10 without Extended Security Updates, won't get it. Keep that PC on Saskatchewan and plan to upgrade or replace it.

On Saskatchewan, times from past winters, such as an email from last January, show an hour later. That's expected.

Update your web browser too

Until they're updated, Chrome, Edge and older versions of Firefox may not know Mountain Time (Alberta). Websites, including Gmail and Outlook on the web, then show the time an hour behind. Do this whichever time zone you chose.

  • Chrome: open the ⋮ menu, then Help → About Google Chrome. Wait for the update, then select Relaunch.
  • Edge: open the ⋯ menu, then Help and feedback → About Microsoft Edge. Wait for the update, then select Restart.
  • Firefox: open the ☰ menu, then Help → About Firefox. Wait for the update, then select Restart to update Firefox.

Websites still an hour behind?

  1. Choose (UTC-06:00) Saskatchewan for now, then close and reopen the browser.
  2. In a week or two, update the browser again, switch back to Mountain Time (Alberta) and check again. Browser fixes reach computers at different times, so yours may not have it yet.

Teams an hour off? Update Teams and Edge, then quit and reopen Teams. Microsoft is still checking Teams.

Travelling? With automatic time zone off, Windows won't change zones for you. Set it by hand on trips outside Alberta.

Microsoft: Alberta time zone update announcement ↗ · Set the date, time and time zone in Windows ↗

Mac

Clock an hour behind? Follow the steps below, including the restart, then check the clock. Already updated and restarted? Skip to step 6.

Apple sends time zone updates to Macs in the background. They need a few settings on and only take effect after a restart.

  1. Open System Settings → General → Date & Time. Make sure Set time and date automatically and Set time zone automatically using your current location are both on.
  2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services and make sure Location Services is on. Scroll to the bottom and click Details next to System Services. Make sure the time zone and system customization settings are on, then click Done.
  3. Open System Settings → General → Software Update and install any updates it shows. Then click the ⓘ next to Automatic Updates and make sure Install system data files and security updates is on. On some versions it's called Install Security Responses and system files.
  4. Restart your Mac (Apple menu → Restart), even if you haven't seen a message about it. System Settings doesn't show whether your Mac has the update, so this is the step that matters.
  5. Check the time against a phone or computer you know is right. Don't go by a cable or satellite TV box, which may not have the change.

If the clock is still an hour behind

  1. Turn off Set time zone automatically using your current location (step 1).
  2. Type "Regina" in Closest city, choose it from the list if it appears, and press Return. On some Macs, click Set first, then OK instead of pressing Return. If Regina isn't offered, try "Saskatoon". Regina keeps the same time as Alberta all year, so this is a safe temporary fix.
  3. In a week or two, turn the automatic setting back on and restart. If the time is right, leave it on. If it's an hour behind again, switch back to Regina and try again later.

Travelling? While it's set to Regina, the device won't change time zones for you. Turn the automatic setting back on before a trip.

iPhone or iPad

Clock an hour behind? Follow the steps below, including the restart, then check the clock. Already updated and restarted? Skip to step 6.

Apple sends time zone updates to iPhones and iPads in the background. They only take effect after a restart.

  1. Open Settings → General → Date & Time and make sure the automatic settings are on. On iOS 26 and earlier, that's Set Automatically. On iOS 27, turn on both Set Time Automatically and Set Time Zone Automatically. Can't find them? Search Settings for "time zone".
  2. Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services and make sure Location Services is on. Scroll to the bottom, tap System Services, and make sure Setting Time Zone is on.
  3. Open Settings → General → Software Update and install any updates. Then tap Automatic Updates. If you see a System Files section, make sure the Automatically Install switch under it is on. On older versions, turn on Security Responses & System Files.
  4. Restart your iPhone or iPad, and your Apple Watch if you have one, even if you haven't seen a message about it. To restart, open Settings → General → Shut Down and drag the slider. Then hold the side or top button until the Apple logo appears. Settings doesn't show whether your device has the update, so this is the step that matters.
  5. Check the time against a phone or computer you know is right. Don't go by a cable or satellite TV box, which may not have the change.

If the clock is still an hour behind

  1. Turn off the automatic time zone setting (step 1).
  2. Tap Time Zone (Time Zone City on iOS 27), search for "Regina" and tap Regina. Regina keeps the same time as Alberta all year, so this is a safe temporary fix.
  3. In a week or two, turn the automatic setting back on and restart. If the time is right, leave it on. If it's an hour behind again, switch back to Regina and try again later.

Travelling? While it's set to Regina, the device won't change time zones for you. Turn the automatic setting back on before a trip.

Android phone or tablet

Clock an hour behind? Follow the steps below, including the restart, then check the clock. Already updated and restarted? Skip to step 7.

Android gets time zone changes through system updates and Google Play system updates. Google said some phones might not get the Alberta update in time, so check yours.

  1. Install any system updates. On most phones that's Settings → System → Software update; on Samsung, Settings → Software update.
  2. Install the Google Play system update too: Settings → Security & privacy → System & updates → Google Play system update. On Samsung, it's Settings → Security and privacy → Updates → Google Play system update. Can't find it? Search Settings for "Google Play system update".
  3. Restart the phone. On most phones, swipe down from the top of the screen (twice on some), tap the power icon, then tap Restart.
  4. Check whether the update arrived:
    1. Open Settings → System → Date & time (on Samsung, Settings → General management → Date and time).
    2. Turn off the automatic time zone switch for a moment. It's the switch under Time zone, called Automatic time zone, Set automatically or Set time zone automatically depending on the phone. Leave the date and time switch alone.
    3. Tap Time zone (Select time zone on Samsung) and read the line under the time zone. Don't pick anything from the list.
    4. GMT-06:00 means your phone has the update. GMT-07:00 means it doesn't yet. If you see neither, go by the clock.
    5. Go back and turn the automatic time zone switch on again.
  5. Update not there yet? Skip to step 7.
  6. Check the time against a phone or computer you know is right. Don't go by a cable or satellite TV box, which may not have the change.

If the clock is still an hour behind

  1. Open the date and time settings (step 4a) and turn on the automatic time zone switch. If there's a location switch under it, turn that on too. On recent Pixel phones they're called Automatic time zone and Use location for time zone. Check the time again.
  2. Still wrong? Turn off the automatic time zone switch. Tap Time zone (Select time zone on Samsung), set the region to Canada and choose Regina. Regina keeps the same time as Alberta all year, so this is a safe temporary fix.
  3. In a week or two, turn the automatic setting back on and restart. If the time is right, leave it on. If it's an hour behind again, switch back to Regina and try again later.

Travelling? While it's set to Regina, the device won't change time zones for you. Turn the automatic setting back on before a trip.

Chromebooks, smartwatches, smart clocks, cameras and cars

  1. Install any software updates the maker offers. Google said some Chromebooks and smartwatches might not get the update in time.
  2. Check whether any of these devices is an hour behind.
  3. If a device is an hour behind, or has a time zone setting and no Alberta option, fix its time zone:
    • Chromebook: select the time at the bottom right, then Settings. Under System preferences, select Time zone. Select Choose from list and choose Regina for now.
    • Saskatchewan or Regina in the list? Choose it for now.
    • Only UTC offsets? Choose UTC−06:00 and turn daylight saving off. Then check that the clock is right.
    • Only Pacific, Mountain, Central and Eastern, with a daylight saving switch? This is common on radio-controlled ("atomic") clocks and car clocks. Choose Central and turn daylight saving off. Mountain with daylight saving off is an hour behind, and Central with it on springs forward in March.
    • Nothing else works? Set the time by hand, then check it again on March 14, 2027. A radio-controlled clock resets itself overnight, so this won't stick on one.
  4. In a week or two, install updates again. Then set a Chromebook back to Set automatically, and switch other devices to Edmonton or Mountain Time (Alberta) if they now offer it. If the time is an hour behind again, switch back and try again later.

Clocks you set by hand, like an oven or microwave, don't need anything. If you turned one back out of habit, set it forward an hour again.

At the office

If you run a business, also check anything that keeps its own clock or schedule:

  • Phone system business hours and auto-attendant
  • Time clocks and payroll. An overnight shift on Saturday, October 31, was its normal length this year, with no extra hour.
  • Door access and alarm schedules
  • Security camera timestamps
  • Office servers, scheduled tasks and automated workflows. For Microsoft Power Automate, Microsoft says to use (UTC-06:00) Saskatchewan for now.
  • Online booking. For Microsoft Bookings, Microsoft says to review appointments after November 1.

Time differences with Alberta from November 1

A meeting with Toronto, the East or most of the U.S. moved? That's usually correct. Those places still change their clocks, and Alberta doesn't. Go by the time in the organizer's time zone.

Meetings with B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba or the N.W.T. shouldn't move. If one does, check the time with the organizer.

When it's 9:00 a.m. in Alberta, it's:

Time in other places when it's 9:00 a.m. in Alberta
Place Nov 1, 2026 – Mar 13, 2027 Mar 14 – Nov 6, 2027
Vancouver (most of B.C.), Whitehorse8:00 a.m.8:00 a.m.
Regina, Saskatoon, Yellowknife, Cranbrook (southeast B.C.)9:00 a.m.9:00 a.m.
Winnipeg10:00 a.m.10:00 a.m.
Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal, New York10:00 a.m.11:00 a.m.
Halifax11:00 a.m.noon
Seattle, Los Angeles7:00 a.m.8:00 a.m.
Denver8:00 a.m.9:00 a.m.
Phoenix8:00 a.m.8:00 a.m.
Chicago, Dallas9:00 a.m.10:00 a.m.

Alberta keeps the same time all year, but places in Canada and the U.S. that still change their clocks spring forward on March 14, 2027. In winter, Toronto and the East are an hour closer than in past winters, and the U.S. West Coast is an hour further away. The Government of Alberta ↗ has maps of Alberta Time and its neighbours in summer and winter.

Not in Alberta?

  • Most of B.C.: on Windows, choose (UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia). For Outlook and other devices, see our B.C. time zone steps.
  • Southeast B.C. (Cranbrook, Golden, Fernie, Invermere) and the N.W.T.: you keep Alberta's time. Use the Alberta setting, (UTC-06:00) Mountain Time (Alberta), then update your browser (Windows browser steps). Creston has the same time as Vancouver.
  • Saskatchewan: nothing to do. Alberta now has your time all year. In Lloydminster or a nearby area that keeps Alberta's time? Follow the steps on this page as if you were in Alberta. In Creighton or Denare Beach, on Flin Flon's time? Follow our Manitoba time zone steps.
  • Manitoba: on Windows and in Outlook, choose (UTC-05:00) Manitoba, and see our Manitoba time zone steps.
  • Keep a second clock for Alberta? In Outlook, Google Calendar, Windows or a phone's world clock, set it to Edmonton, Calgary or Mountain Time (Alberta). Denver and Mountain Time (US & Canada) show Alberta an hour behind in winter.
  • Edmonton or Calgary clock an hour behind? That device doesn't have the Alberta update yet. Use Regina or Saskatchewan for now. In a week or two, update the device and switch back to Edmonton.

Frequently asked questions

Do I turn my clocks back in Alberta on November 1?

No. Alberta's clocks no longer fall back. If a phone or computer is an hour behind, fix its time zone setting, not the clock. Install updates, restart, and follow the steps for your device on this page. On a home Windows PC, turn off Set time zone automatically and choose Mountain Time (Alberta). If it isn't in the list yet, choose Saskatchewan for now. Then update your web browser, close it and open it again, and use the browser check on this page. If Brown Walrus manages your Windows work computer, it was probably already updated; on a work Mac, follow the Mac steps. Clocks you set by hand, like an oven or microwave, need nothing. If you turned one back out of habit, set it forward an hour again.

Why do websites show the wrong time on my Windows PC?

Until they're updated, Chrome, Edge and older versions of Firefox may not know the new Mountain Time (Alberta) setting in Windows. Websites, including Gmail and Outlook on the web, can then show the time an hour behind. Update your browser, close it and open it again, then use the browser check on this page. Still an hour behind? Set Windows to Saskatchewan for now, which shows the same time, and reopen the browser. In a week or two, update the browser again, switch back to Mountain Time (Alberta) and check again.

Why does my computer or an app say CST?

If the clock shows the right time, nothing needs fixing. From November 1, 2026, some computers and apps may label Alberta's time CST, short for Central Standard Time. Many devices and apps are built on one shared list of time zones. That list calls Alberta's new time CST, the same name Saskatchewan uses.

What time zone is Alberta in?

Alberta Time, abbreviated ABT: UTC−06:00 all year from November 1, 2026. If a phone or computer asks you to pick a time zone, choose Mountain Time (Alberta) or Edmonton. Calgary or another Alberta city is fine too. Avoid Mountain Time (US & Canada), which still changes its clocks. If a device has no Alberta option, or stays an hour behind after you choose one and restart it, choose Saskatchewan or Regina for now. They show the same time.

When is the time change in Alberta in 2026?

Alberta has no fall time change in 2026. From November 1, 2026, the province stays on Alberta Time (ABT), UTC−06:00, all year, so don't turn any clocks back. The province expects most phones, computers and other connected devices to update on their own once their makers release updates. Install your updates, then check each device against a clock you know is right.

When is the next time change in Alberta?

None is planned. Alberta's last clock change was the spring-forward on March 8, 2026. There's no fall-back on November 1, 2026, and no spring-forward in March 2027. Toronto and most of the U.S. still change their clocks. Your time difference with them changes each time they do: November 1, 2026, March 14, 2027 and November 7, 2027. The province plans to gather feedback after the first full year.

Is Alberta getting rid of daylight saving time?

Alberta has ended the clock changes and keeps daylight time all year. Its permanent Alberta Time (ABT) is the time Albertans used to call Mountain Daylight Time. From November 1, 2026, clocks no longer fall back to Mountain Standard Time.

Is Alberta on daylight saving time now?

In effect, yes. Alberta Time (ABT), UTC−06:00, is the same clock time as Mountain Daylight Time. From November 1, 2026, Alberta stays on it all year, so your clocks keep the time they showed through the summer of 2026. There's no fall-back in November and no spring-forward in March.

Is Alberta the same time as Saskatchewan now?

Yes. From November 1, 2026, Alberta and Saskatchewan are both on UTC−06:00 all year, summer and winter. Before that, Alberta was an hour behind Saskatchewan in winter, because Alberta fell back in the fall and Saskatchewan doesn't change its clocks.

Will the time difference between Alberta and B.C. change?

For most of British Columbia, no. B.C. also keeps the same time all year from November 1, 2026, so Vancouver stays one hour behind Alberta. Southeast B.C., including Cranbrook, has the same time as Alberta. Creston has the same time as Vancouver.

What is the time difference between Alberta and Manitoba?

One hour, all year. Like Alberta, Manitoba keeps the same time all year from November 1, 2026, so Winnipeg stays one hour ahead of Alberta.

What is the time difference between Alberta and Ontario now?

Toronto, Ottawa and most of Ontario are one hour ahead of Alberta in winter and two hours ahead in summer. Most of Ontario still changes its clocks, and Alberta doesn't. From November 1, 2026 to March 13, 2027, 9:00 a.m. in Alberta is 10:00 a.m. in Toronto, an hour closer than in past winters. From March 14 to November 6, 2027, it's 11:00 a.m. in Toronto. Go by the time in the organizer's time zone. Kenora and nearby northwestern Ontario stay one hour ahead of Alberta all year.

Want a hand?

We'll find and fix the clocks, computers and meetings that are still an hour off in your office. Call 780-540-7606 or get in touch.

Not a client yet? We handle changes like this one for offices in Edmonton and the surrounding area under month-to-month managed IT agreements.