Google Urges Android Users in Canada to Update Devices as Two Provinces Permanently Adopt Daylight Saving Time

Google has advised Android users in Canada to install pending software updates and restart their devices after two Canadian provinces permanently adopted daylight saving time, causing some devices to display incorrect times.

British Columbia and Manitoba made the switch to permanent daylight saving time in 2026, meaning clocks in those provinces will not be turned back an hour on November 1st as they would under standard time rules. Following the change, Google posted guidance to its Android community help forums addressing the resulting time zone issues.

“If you are in Canada and your device is showing an incorrect time due to the new time zone laws beginning Nov 1, please apply any pending updates from your phone’s manufacturer and Google, and then restart your device,” the company wrote.

For users whose devices continue to show the wrong time after updating, Google recommends enabling location-based time zone detection. This can be done by searching “Date and Time” in Android’s settings and turning on both “Automatic time zone” and “Use location for time zone.” If problems persist, Google suggests disabling automatic time zone detection entirely and manually selecting a time zone that matches the correct time offset for the user’s region.

The issue highlights a broader challenge: daylight saving time rules vary from province to province in Canada, and even within smaller regions, making it difficult for devices to keep pace with localized changes.

The situation could have implications for the United States as well. The US House advanced the Sunshine Protection Act in July 2026, moving the country closer to permanently adopting daylight saving time nationwide. Google noted that a single, country-wide switch in the US may be less disruptive to devices than the patchwork of regional changes seen in Canada.