Daylight savings 2025: exact dates, who changes the clocks, and what to expect

Daylight saving time in 2025 delivered its big “fall back” this weekend in North America and wrapped up earlier across Europe, while Egypt completed its shift to winter time at the end of October. Here’s a concise, keep-and-share guide to the dates, exceptions, and practical tips for the rest of the year and the start of 2026.

Daylight savings 2025: the key dates at a glance

Northern Hemisphere highlights

• United States & Canada
  Start (“spring forward”): Sunday, March 9, 2025, 2:00 a.m. local time → 3:00 a.m.
  End (“fall back”): Sunday, November 2, 2025, 2:00 a.m. → 1:00 a.m.

• United Kingdom (BST) & most of Europe (CEST/EEST)
  Start: Sunday, March 30, 2025, 01:00 UTC (clocks advance one hour; 1:00 a.m. GMT becomes 2:00 a.m. BST in the UK).
  End: Sunday, October 26, 2025, 01:00 UTC (clocks go back one hour; 2:00 a.m. BST becomes 1:00 a.m. GMT).

• Egypt (EET/EEST)
  Start: Friday, April 25, 2025, 00:00 local time (clocks moved forward to 01:00).
  End: Friday, October 31, 2025, 00:00 local time (clocks moved back to 23:00 on October 30).
  Note: Egypt’s seasonal schedule runs from the last Friday of April to the last Thursday of October each year.

Quick exceptions

• No clock change in Hawaii and most of Arizona (U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands also stay on standard time year-round).

• Several countries no longer observe seasonal clock changes (for example, Turkey and Iceland), while others tailor rules by region or state.

Why daylight savings 2025 mattered this week

The “fall back” on Sunday, November 2, 2025 across the U.S. and Canada returned millions to standard time, shifting sunrise earlier and sunset earlier. In practical terms, that meant brighter mornings for commuters and darker early evenings—changes that influence energy demand curves, road safety patterns, and retail/entertainment footfall. Europe’s earlier switch on October 26 helped align morning light with school and work start times as autumn advanced, while Egypt’s end-of-October move synchronized government, banking, and transport schedules for the winter period.

Daylight savings 2025 by region: what changed for you

Egypt (Africa/Cairo)

• From April 25 to October 31, clocks were one hour ahead of standard time.

• Government services, banks, and payment systems timed routine maintenance to the shift; businesses typically update operating hours automatically in digital calendars.

• Travelers transiting Cairo around the midnight changeover saw itineraries re-ticketed on local time; always reconfirm airport pickup times after a clock shift.

United Kingdom & Europe

• The synchronized European model flips clocks at the same UTC moment, simplifying cross-border trains and flights.

• For the UK, the end of BST on October 26 put civil time back to GMT; colleagues in Central Europe then sat one hour ahead again (CET vs. GMT).

United States & Canada

• Most areas changed at 2:00 a.m. local time to minimize disruption to transport and broadcast schedules.

• Sports schedules, TV listings, and exchange trading hours realigned to standard time this week; check any recurring calendar invites with international teams.

Planning ahead: early 2026 daylight savings dates

• U.S. & Canada: next “spring forward” is Sunday, March 8, 2026, 2:00 a.m. local.

• UK/Europe: next clocks-forward is Sunday, March 29, 2026, 01:00 UTC.

• Egypt: next clocks-forward is expected on the last Friday of April 2026 at 00:00 local.

(Schedules can be revised by governments. If you manage critical systems, use official time zone databases/updates rather than manual entries.)

Practical tips to avoid clock-change confusion

• Set devices to automatic time and time-zone updates. Modern phones and laptops switch on their own; manual overrides are the top cause of missed alarms after a change.

• Double-check meetings that span time zones. In calendar apps, invitees see events in their own local time—helpful, but only if the event was created with the right location/time zone.

• Travel buffers: On the night of a clock change, build extra margin for flights, trains, and intercity buses; timetables usually publish “local time” with the shift already applied.

• Home routines: Use the clock change as a reminder to test smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, refresh emergency kit items, and review school/work morning plans.

• Health & safety: The first weekday after a time change often brings altered sleep patterns—aim for earlier bedtimes, morning light exposure, and caution on the road.

Daylight savings 2025: the ongoing debate

While many regions continue the biannual shift, others have moved to permanent standard or permanent summer time, citing health, energy, and safety trade-offs. In North America, proposals to make a single time permanent surface regularly, but consensus remains elusive. Europe has discussed reform without a final, unified changeover. For now, the practical reality is unchanged: know your local rule, confirm cross-border times in UTC when precision matters, and let your devices do the heavy lifting.