# Set your time zone before November 1 (Windows, Mac, Outlook) On **Sunday, November 1, 2026** BC stops changing its clocks and stays on UTC-7 (now called Pacific Time (British Columbia), or PCT) year-round. Any computer or calendar that has not been told this will "fall back" an hour on its own, and every meeting from November 1 onward will show up an hour off. Please work through **every section**: your computer (Windows or Mac), the Outlook app you use, and Outlook on the web. Each one is a short set of slides; use the arrows or dots to move through the steps. If anything does not look the way it does here, or you get stuck, email right away. ## 1. Windows {testimonials} > **Open Settings** > > Click **Start**, type **settings**, and open **Settings**. > > ![Start menu search for Settings](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/win-01-start.png) > > \-- Windows, Step 1 of 7 > **Open Windows Update** > > Click **Windows Update** at the bottom of the left column. > > ![win-upd-01-settings.png](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-11/win-upd-01-settings.png) > > \-- Windows, Step 2 of 7 > **Check for updates and restart** > > Click **Check for updates**. Install everything that is offered and restart. The new BC time zone arrived in the October 13, 2026 update, so a machine that has not restarted since then does not have it yet. > > ![Windows Update page with Check for updates highlighted](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/win-upd-02-check.png) > > \-- Windows, Step 3 of 7 > **Nothing offered? Check online** > > If Windows says you are up to date but the British Columbia time zone still does not appear in step 5, click the small arrow beside **Check for updates** and choose **Check online for updates from Microsoft Update**, then install and restart. > > ![Check online for updates from Microsoft Update option](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/win-upd-03-online.png) > > \-- Windows, Step 4 of 7 > **Check the time zone** > > Go to **Settings > Time & language**. At the top right, **Time zone** should read **(UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia)**. If it does, Windows is done. If it still says Pacific Time (US & Canada), click **Date & time**. > > ![Time and language page showing the time zone](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/win-03-time-language.png) > > \-- Windows, Step 5 of 7 > **Pick the new time zone** > > Turn **Set time zone automatically** off. A **Time zone** list appears underneath; choose **(UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia)**. > > ![Date and time settings with Set time zone automatically](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/win-04-date-time.png) > > ![Time zone list with Pacific Time (British Columbia) highlighted](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/win-05-zone-list.png) > > \-- Windows, Step 6 of 7 > **Confirm** > > Both the header and the Time zone field should now read Pacific Time (British Columbia). > > If the British Columbia option is not in the list, the update is not installed yet. Go back to step 4, or email tickets@onlineschool.ca. > > **Cannot get the update before November 1?** As a temporary workaround, choose **(UTC-07:00) Yukon** instead. Yukon is already on UTC-7 year-round, so your clock and calendar will stay right. Switch to Pacific Time (British Columbia) as soon as the update is installed. > > ![Date and time settings showing Pacific Time (British Columbia) selected](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/win-06-done.png) > > \-- Windows, Step 7 of 7 ## 2. Mac {testimonials} > **Open System Settings** > > Click the **Apple logo** at the top left of the screen and choose **System Settings**. > > ![Apple menu with System Settings highlighted](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/mac-01-apple-menu.png) > > \-- Mac, Step 1 of 3 > **Install updates and restart** > > Go to **General > Software Update** (or type "Software Update" in the search box). Install anything that is offered and restart. Apple has already sent the BC change to macOS, but it only takes effect after a restart, so please restart even if no update is listed. > > ![macOS Software Update screen](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/mac-00-software-update.png) > > \-- Mac, Step 2 of 3 > **Check Date & Time** > > Open **System Settings > General > Date & Time**. The **Time zone** line will still say Pacific Daylight Time (Apple did not rename it; that is expected). What matters is **Closest city**: it must be a BC city such as **Vancouver, Canada**. > > If Closest city shows somewhere outside BC (a US city, for example), your Mac *will* fall back on November 1. Turn off **Set time zone automatically**, click Closest city, and choose Vancouver. > > **Cannot update your Mac before November 1?** Set Closest city to **Whitehorse, Canada** as a temporary workaround (Yukon is already on UTC-7 year-round). Switch back to Vancouver once your Mac is updated. > > ![macOS Date and Time settings](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/mac-02-date-time.png) > > \-- Mac, Step 3 of 3 ## 3. New Outlook on Windows Outlook keeps its own calendar time zone separate from Windows. You are on New Outlook if the **New Outlook** switch near the top right of the window is on. If your Outlook has a **File** menu at the top left instead, skip to section 5. {testimonials} > **Open Settings** > > Click the **Settings** gear at the top right of the Outlook window. > > ![New Outlook toolbar with the Settings gear and New Outlook switch highlighted](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/outlook-new-01-gear.png) > > \-- New Outlook (Windows), Step 1 of 2 > **Set the calendar time zone** > > Click **Calendar > View** and scroll to **Time zones**. Under **Display my calendar in time zone**, type **Vancouver** and choose **Vancouver British Columbia (PCT)**. Click **Save**. (This is the same settings pane as Outlook on the web.) > > ![Calendar View settings with Vancouver British Columbia selected](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/owa-03-calendar-view.png) > > \-- New Outlook (Windows), Step 2 of 2 ## 4. New Outlook on Mac {testimonials} > **Open Settings** > > Open the **Outlook** menu (top left of the screen) and choose **Settings**. > > ![Outlook menu showing Settings](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/outlook-mac-01-menu.png) > > \-- New Outlook (Mac), Step 1 of 2 > **Check Work Schedule** > > Click **Calendar > Work Schedule**. Under **Time zones**, **Default time zone** reads "Your device setting", which means it follows your Mac. Once section 2 is done there is nothing to change here. Leave Time zone 2 and 3 switched off and **Default time zone for new events** on **Sync to device**. > > ![Outlook for Mac Work Schedule time zones](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/outlook-mac-02-work-schedule.png) > > \-- New Outlook (Mac), Step 2 of 2 ## 5. Classic Outlook on Windows You are on classic Outlook if there is a **File** menu at the top left of the window. {testimonials} > **Open File** > > Click **File** at the top left of the Outlook window. > > ![Classic Outlook ribbon with File highlighted](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/outlook-classic-01-file.png) > > \-- Classic Outlook, Step 1 of 3 > **Open Options** > > Click **Options** at the bottom of the left column. > > ![Classic Outlook File menu with Options highlighted](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/outlook-classic-02-options.png) > > \-- Classic Outlook, Step 2 of 3 > **Set the time zone** > > Click **Calendar** on the left, scroll down to **Time zones**, open the **Time zone** list and choose **(UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia)**. Click **OK**. This option only appears once the Windows update from section 1 is installed; until then, **(UTC-07:00) Yukon** is the temporary fallback. > > ![Outlook Options with Calendar highlighted](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/outlook-classic-03-calendar.png) > > ![Outlook Options Time zones list with Pacific Time (British Columbia) and Yukon highlighted](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/outlook-classic-04-time-zones.png) > > \-- Classic Outlook, Step 3 of 3 ## 6. Legacy Outlook for Mac Legacy Outlook for Mac follows the Mac system time zone, so once section 2 is done there is nothing to set here. If your meetings still look an hour off after November 1, switch on **New Outlook** (top right of the window) and follow section 4, or use Outlook on the web. ## 7. Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com) {testimonials} > **Open Settings** > > Go to [outlook.office.com](https://outlook.office.com) and click the **Settings** gear at the top right. > > ![Settings gear in Outlook on the web](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/embedded-image-ebkwchsg.jpeg) > > \-- Outlook on the web, Step 1 of 3 > **Check the time zone** > > Click **General > Language and time**. At the bottom, **Time zone** should read **(UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia)**. If it does, you are done with this section. If it does not, click **Change**. > > ![General > Language and time showing the time zone](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/owa-02-language-time.png) > > \-- Outlook on the web, Step 2 of 3 > **Change it if needed** > > You will land on **Calendar > View**. Under **Display my calendar in time zone**, type **Vancouver** and choose **Vancouver British Columbia (PCT)**. Click **Save**. > > ![Calendar View settings with Vancouver British Columbia selected](https://sophie.onlineschool.ca/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/owa-03-calendar-view.png) > > \-- Outlook on the web, Step 3 of 3 ## 8. If you organize recurring meetings Your own settings fix what *you* see. Meetings you created before the update still carry the old time zone, so any recurring meeting you organize that runs past November 1 needs one more step: open the series in Outlook, click the time zone (globe) button next to the start time, choose **(UTC-07:00) Pacific Time (British Columbia)**, and send the update. Attendees get the corrected invite automatically and do not need to do anything. Two things to know: changing a series resets any single occurrences you had moved or cancelled, so check those afterwards; and do not shift the start time by an hour to compensate, change the time zone instead.

When changing a series of events, you can also do this via web-mail and select "Edit this and all following events", which allows you to adjust the time zone of an entire series at once

## Phones and tablets Update iOS, iPadOS or Android to the latest version and restart. No other setting is needed. ## Need help? Email with your device type and what you see, and IT will walk you through it.