TV date and time is wrong and internet apps fail

1. Open the TV’s clock or date/time screen and compare the date, time and time zone with a phone set to the correct local time.

   A clock that is hours off may indicate a time-zone setting; a wrong date or a clock that resets after power loss may indicate that automatic time has not synchronized.

   If that does not help: If the clock appears correct, do not change it to troubleshoot a generic connection problem. Compare the TV’s network test and other devices instead.

2. Check whether a phone or computer can load a new page on the same Wi-Fi, with mobile data disabled.

   If other devices also fail, troubleshoot the router or internet provider first. If they work and the TV’s clock is wrong, a TV-specific time setting becomes more plausible.

   If that does not help: If you cannot run the comparison, ask the network administrator to confirm internet service before changing the TV clock.

3. Run the TV’s connection diagnostic if it has one and record whether the TV-to-router link or internet test fails.

   Sony documents a network test where local access succeeds but internet access fails; an incorrect date/time is one possible cause on applicable models.

   If that does not help: If the TV has no test, record the exact app error and whether multiple apps fail. Do not assume the clock is the cause from one error screen.

If the TV is online but its clock is wrong, check its time zone and automatic-time option using the manufacturer’s guide. LG says its TVs may use internet time or broadcast time, depending on connection and model. Samsung’s clock instructions likewise distinguish automatic and manual clock modes. The labels and paths vary by software generation, so these examples should not be copied to another brand.

1. For an LG TV, use the current LG instructions for your webOS generation to check Set Automatically and the time zone.

   When automatic time can access its time source and the location is correct, the displayed clock should match local time.

   If that does not help: If the TV is offline, automatic time may not update from the internet. Check whether broadcast-time setup applies to your model and antenna service.

2. For a Samsung TV, check Clock Mode using Samsung’s model-specific guidance; its support page notes that some clock options are unavailable while an app is open.

   Exiting the app and returning to a supported source may make the documented clock control available.

   If that does not help: If the setting remains unavailable, note the model and software version and use Samsung support rather than applying an unrelated menu sequence.

This can create a loop: automatic time needs a network, but a bad system time can interfere with secure network services. Do not assume the loop exists unless the TV clock is wrong and the network diagnostic supports it. Check the maker’s guide for whether manual date/time entry is available on that model. Sony documents turning off Automatic date & time and setting the clock manually for applicable products; that procedure is not universal.

1. If the model supports manual time and the manufacturer recommends it for this symptom, set the current date, time and time zone, then retry the network test once.

   If secure network access resumes, automatic time may be re-enabled so the clock can synchronize normally.

   If that does not help: If the date/time control is absent or locked, do not use a service menu or undocumented workaround. Contact the manufacturer with the error and test result.

2. If your TV supports Ethernet and the cable can be connected safely, the maker may recommend a temporary wired connection to allow time synchronization.

   A working wired connection may let the TV synchronize without changing router Wi-Fi settings.

   If that does not help: If Ethernet is unavailable or fails too, continue with the TV’s model-specific support path; this is not evidence by itself of a failed Wi-Fi component.

• Do not pick a different time zone just to make the displayed hour look right; the date and time zone can affect scheduled recordings, timers or regional settings.
• Do not keep changing DNS when the TV clock is visibly wrong and the manufacturer documents a time-related network failure.
• Do not enter a fabricated date to bypass an error. A wrong clock can create the same certificate-validity problem you are trying to solve.
• Do not factory-reset before checking the clock, network test and maker’s instructions. A reset can remove accounts and settings and may not resolve a service outage.

Provide the exact model, displayed date/time and time zone, whether the clock changes after a restart or power loss, the result of the TV’s local/internet test, whether other devices work, and which apps show an error. This helps support separate a clock synchronization problem from a router, provider, or app issue.

• Internet access test failed when performing the wireless network diagnosis on my TV — checked 2026-10-24
• How to Set the Time on Your LG TV — checked 2026-10-24
• Set the clock on your Samsung TV — checked 2026-10-24

Can a wrong TV date stop apps from connecting?

It can on some models. Sony documents an applicable network test where an incorrect date/time can make certificate checks fail. The clock is one possible cause, not the explanation for every app error.

Should I set my TV clock manually?

Only if the exact model supports it and its manufacturer recommends it for your symptom. Some TVs use internet or broadcast time, and menu availability varies.

Why does my TV clock reset when unplugged?

Some models rely on network or broadcast time and may lose the clock after power is removed. Check the maker’s model-specific clock guidance and automatic-time settings.