US Daylight Saving Time Ends: Why Does America Still Change the Clocks Twice a Year? History of practice from 1918 | Today’s news

Americans got an extra hour of sleep on Sunday (November 1) as Daylight Saving Time officially ended in 2026. Clocks in most parts of the United States were set back one hour at 2 a.m. local time, marking the country’s return to standard time after months of longer evening daylight.

The annual time change, commonly referred to as “falling back,” comes after Americans moved their clocks forward an hour in March. This practice is observed in most US states and aims to shift daylight from early morning to evening during the spring and summer months.

However, the twice-yearly time change has remained controversial, and lawmakers continue to debate whether the country should adopt daylight saving time year-round.

Why do the clocks change twice a year in the USA?

Daylight saving time is the period between March and early November when most of the US operates one hour ahead of standard time.

During the spring and summer, the clocks are moved forward one hour to allow more daylight in the evening. When daylight savings time ends in the fall, the clocks move back so sunrise can occur earlier in the morning.

How did daylight saving time start in the US? History of 1918

The United States first implemented daylight saving time in 1918 during World War I as an energy-saving measure.

According to the US Congressional Research Service, European countries followed suit, having already introduced similar clock changes during the war. The aim was to make better use of natural daylight and reduce fuel consumption, particularly by reducing the need for artificial lighting.

However, the practice did not continue uniformly after the war. Congress repealed the federal requirement, but allowed individual states and municipalities to decide whether to observe daylight saving time.

The country reinstated year-round daylight saving time during World War II and again during the energy crisis of the 1970s to reduce energy consumption. Both experiments were eventually abandoned.

Since different states followed different schedules, the need for a uniform system was obvious. Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966, which established standardized dates for the start and end of daylight saving time.

The schedule was subsequently expanded under the 2005 law, which moved the start from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March and the end from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November. The changes came into effect in 2007.

Will the US adopt Daylight Savings Time all year round?

Debate continued in Congress about ending the biannual clock change.

Earlier in 2026, the Sunlight Protection Act, which seeks to make daylight saving time permanent, passed the House of Representatives in July.

The legislation would also allow states to completely reject daylight saving time before the law takes effect.

President Donald Trump supported the proposal.

When will daylight saving time return in 2027?

The Americans will continue with the current system for now. Daylight saving time is scheduled to resume on Sunday, March 14, 2027 at 2:00 a.m. local time, when the clocks will move forward one hour.

The second Sunday in March is the designated start date under the current rules.

Do smartphones adjust to the time change automatically?

Most smartphones automatically update their clocks when daylight saving time starts or ends if automatic date and time setting is enabled.

Read also | Clocks go back to November 1st as Daylight Saving Time ends in most of the US