There are many reasons to change the system clock on your Nintendo Switch. Maybe you’re playing with friends in a different time zone and don’t want to do the math when planning multiplayer sessions, or you might be taking the handheld console with you on a trip and having to set the clock while globetrotting.
But the most likely reason people would want to change the clock on their Switch is to perform “time travel” exploits in the game. Many titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons have date- or time-specific events tied to your date, time, or time zone. If you set your clock, you can see this content even if you miss it that day, or See what your island will turn into Months or years into the future. In some cases, you can even bypass in-game timers so you can skip waiting times, fast-forward to unlock new content, or even just change small details – like the day or time you caught a Pokémon in Pokémon Sword and Shield.
(Note: changing the clock on your Switch to unlock eShop games ahead of time will likely not work. However, you can buy games from another country’s eShop and play ahead of time if the release date is earlier than your part of the world. )
The Time Travel exploit doesn’t work in every game, mind you, but it’s common enough that it might be worth checking out. It’s pretty easy to draw too:
- Go to on the home screen Settings> System> Date and Time.
- Set the date, time and time zone manually.
- Choose “OK” to save your changes.
To reset the clock on your switch to your local time:
- Go back to System Settings> System> Date and Time
- Choose “Synchronize the clock via the Internet.”
What to do if you cannot change the clock using the parental controls
You cannot turn off the Nintendo Switch’s “Internet Sync Clock” option while your Switch is linked to the Nintendo Switch Mobile Parental Control app. You can remove your console from the app if you really want to change the clock. Note, however, that you will lose the remotes and functions of the Nintendo Switch Parental Control app until your devices are reconnected. That’s how it’s done:
- On the Switch’s home screen, go to System settings> Parental controls. Choose “Log off the app”, Then follow the instructions on the screen to complete the process.
- You can also unlink the app from your console in the mobile app. Open the app, tap the “+” then tap “The information” next to the console that you want to unlink. Choose “Sign out” and follow the instructions on the screen.
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Once the app is unlinked, you can manually change the date, time, and time zone on your Nintendo Switch using the steps above.
