Free hour of sleep this weekend. Here is exactly when daylight saving time ends in 2026, and why it might be the last time you ever do it.
By A Rashwan · Cairo Times 24 · October 25, 2026 · 4 min read
Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2:00 a.m. local time. Clocks go back one hour to 1:00 a.m. You get an extra hour of sleep.
It happens every autumn, and every year millions of people Google the same question: "When do the clocks change?" This year, the answer comes with a twist. The change lands on Halloween night, and Washington is still fighting over whether Americans should ever have to change their clocks again.
What you need to do
- Phones, computers and smart watches change by themselves. Do nothing.
- Wall clocks, car clocks, microwaves and ovens do not. Set them back one hour before bed on Saturday, October 31.
- Enjoy the extra hour. Sunday morning will feel easier, but evenings will get dark about an hour earlier from now on.
Halloween meets the clock change
Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday, October 31, and the clocks go back a few hours later. That means Halloween night is officially 25 hours long. Trick-or-treaters still get the same evening, but party-goers get one bonus hour. Need costume ideas? See Google's top trending Halloween costumes of 2026.
Who does not change their clocks?
Not everyone in the US plays along. Hawaii and most of Arizona stay on standard time all year. The Navajo Nation, including its land in Arizona, does follow daylight saving time. Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands also skip it.
When do the clocks spring forward again?
Under current law, daylight saving time comes back on Sunday, March 14, 2027, at 2:00 a.m., when clocks jump forward to 3:00 a.m. And you lose that hour of sleep again.
Could this be the last time? The Sunshine Protection Act
Here is the part most people do not know. In July 2026, the US House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act by 308 votes to 117. The bill would make daylight saving time permanent, so the clocks would never change again.
But it still needs the Senate, and it is stuck there:
- The Senate left for the midterm elections without voting on it, and is not due back until November 9, after this weekend's change.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune has doubted the bill can reach the 60 votes it needs.
- President Trump strongly supports it and has urged action on social media, saying permanent daylight time would help businesses and public health.
- Critics, led by Senator Tom Cotton, say permanent daylight time would mean dangerously dark winter mornings for commuters and children waiting for school buses. Many sleep scientists also prefer the opposite idea: permanent standard time.
So for now, the old rules stand. Fall back on November 1, spring forward on March 14.
Europe and the UK already changed their clocks this morning, Sunday, October 25. Until November 1, the time gap between Europe and the US is one hour shorter than usual, so double-check meeting and match times with American friends this week.
FAQ
When does daylight saving time end in 2026?
Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2:00 a.m. local time. Clocks go back to 1:00 a.m.
Do we gain or lose an hour?
You gain an hour. Clocks "fall back", so you get an extra hour of sleep.
When does daylight saving time start again?
Sunday, March 14, 2027, at 2:00 a.m., under current law.
Which states do not observe daylight saving time?
Hawaii and most of Arizona. The Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe it.
Is daylight saving time being made permanent?
Not yet. The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July 2026, but the Senate has not voted on it.
