Daylight saving time for 2026 began early Sunday, March 8, when most Americans moved their clocks forward by one hour at 2 am local time. The annual change, commonly described as “spring forward,” means people lose an hour of sleep but gain more daylight in the evening. The shift happens every year on the second Sunday of March, a rule that has been in place since 2007.
What daylight saving time means
Daylight saving time shifts an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening by moving clocks forward. For example, before the time change, sunrise in Boston on Saturday was at 6:09 a.m. and sunset at 5:41 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
After the clocks changed on Sunday, sunrise moved to 7:08 a.m. while sunset shifted later to 6:42 p.m., providing longer daylight in the evening hours.
How the start date has changed over the years
The start date for daylight saving time has changed several times in US history. Before 2007, it began on the first Sunday of April for about two decades. Earlier still, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 set the start date as the last Sunday of April.
During the energy crisis of the 1970s, Congress briefly experimented with year-round daylight saving time beginning in January 1974, but the plan was abandoned within the year and the system later returned to the April schedule until the 2007 change.
Why daylight saving time exists
The United States first adopted daylight saving time in 1918 during World War I in an attempt to conserve fuel. It was used again during World War II to support wartime energy needs and national security efforts. Although the practice has continued for decades, studies have found only minimal energy savings. After the start date was extended in 2007, the US Department of Energy estimated electricity consumption fell by just 0.03%, while some research has linked the time shift to minor negative health effects.
When it ends and where it isn’t observed
Daylight saving time will end in 2026 on Nov. 1, when clocks move back one hour at 2 a.m. local time on the first Sunday of November. The period will last about 238 days. Most of the United States follows the practice, but Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time. US territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands also keep the same time throughout the year. Phones and other smart devices typically update the time automatically if automatic date and time settings are enabled.