Fixed: The Time Zone Cannot Be Set Manually Due to Device Restrictions

Try to change the time zone on your iPhone, only to see a message saying "The time zone cannot be set manually due to device restrictions"? Frustrating and confused, right? The good part is, in this guide, we'll uncover what the device restrictions exactly are and share the most effective solutions so you can pick the time zone you want.

What Are the Device Restrictions?

When seeing "time zone cannot be set manually due to device restrictions," you may wonder what device restrictions actually mean and why it prevent you from manually changing your time zone. Let's break it down.

1Screen Time Restrictions

Think carefully: have you ever turned on Screen Time and locked it with a passcode? If yes, then this is the culprit of the problem. Apple does this so that users who want to bypass the app usage limits cannot do so by changing the date and time.

2Device Management Restrictions or Parental Controls

If your iPhone is under the control of an organization (like a company or school) or is set up via Apple Family Sharing, the administrator or parent who has the authority may be the only one to change time zone settings. This is to ensure all managed devices remain synchronized.

3Location Restrictions

When location service is activated, your iPhone will always have the correct time wherever you are in the world, but this feature also stops your phone from being manually set to a different time zone.

How to Fix Time Zone Cannot Be Set Manually on iPhone

Perhaps you cannot change the time zone on your iPhone because the device has some restrictions. No need to panic, several methods that have been proven to work are at your disposal.

Turn off Screen Time Passcode (100% Success Rate)

As we stated above, one of the major factors for the impossibility of manual time zone adjustment on iPhone is the Screen Time restriction. When it is set up by a passcode, users aren't allowed to change the time because it could bypass the restrictions set by Screen Time.

So, to resolve the time zone cannot be set manually due to device restrictions, turn off Screen Time passcode:

After this, your iPhone will turn off Screen Time restrictions, and the feature to manually adjust the time zone will be available again.

Disallow Screen Time to Share Across Devices (80% Success Rate)

If you utilize the same Apple ID on multiple devices, the Screen Time configurations will probably be merged automatically. This implies that the restrictions established on a different device (for instance, a shared iPad or Mac) may also block you from adjusting the time zone on your iPhone.

To stop Screen Time sharing across devices:

Remove MDM (80% Success Rate)

Your iPhone, which is distributed by a company, school, or organization, has a Mobile Device Management (MDM) profile installed. This profile permits administrators to operate some functions, like prohibiting time zone changes. Taking off the MDM profile will give you complete control again and allow you to change the time manually.

Disable Location Services for Setting Time Zone (50% Success Rate)

In case your iPhone keeps setting your time zone automatically and you still want to change it manually, then disabling the location services for the time zone settings is the way to go. By doing this, you will be the one to select your time zone. Here's how:

After that, return to "Date & Time" to select your time zone manually.

What If You Still Can't Change the Time Zone?

If you have already attempted all the above solutions and nothing works, don't worry! There are still a few last-resort options as follows:

Contact Apple Support

When your iPhone can't set time manually as expected, it may be due to a long-standing iOS limitation or an unfixed bug. In that case, the easiest way to solve the problem would be to contact Apple Support.

Factory Reset Your iPhone (Last Resort)

If Apple Support cannot fix the problem and the issue continues, then your last option, which is a factory reset of your iPhone, will be the way to go. However, before doing so, back up your iPhone data completely!

Bonus Tip: When This Restriction Can Actually Be Useful

Most people search for this issue because they want to remove the restriction and set their time zone freely. But in some cases, this feature is actually helpful. For example, parents often use it to make sure kids can't change the device clock to bypass screen time limits.

But here's the real question: is there a way to adjust the time settings while still keeping those restrictions in place? Yes! That's where AirDroid Parental Control comes in.

It gives you more flexibility than iOS's built-in Screen Time, letting you monitor device usage and manage settings remotely — without worrying about your child bypassing the rules.

FAQs about iPhone Time Zones

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