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Why does the iPhone 5c display wrong time?

My iphone 5c currently started displaying the wrong time. I hadnt updated the software yet and thought this was the source of the issue. After the update was complete the time was still incorrect. I have tried syncing my phone with itunes, deleting world clocks, doing hard resets, even wiped the phone back to factory settings. Nothing has worked 😕

iPhone 5c, iOS 7.1

Posted on Apr 3, 2014 2:39 AM

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Posted on Aug 2, 2017 3:38 PM

The issue here is most likely due to the Y2 Crystal Oscillator not resonating properly. This is a common problem with the iPhone 5c. The only way ITB can be replaced is by soldering a new one onto the logic board, getting a new logic board, or just replacing the phone completely. Sometimes though, a simple Auto date and time switch or some other suggestions will fix the problem and even a factory reset will too.

If the Y2 Crystal Oscillator is not functioning, you might also get symptoms like wifi cutting out every ~15 minutes, Bluetooth not working, Date and time issues, and gps issues.

I've had this issue for a year now and ive gotten used to it.

Started about ios 8.1.2, now running 10.3.3. Did about 5 factory resets since first noticing.

(Add 5c support to ios 11 please Apple)

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Aug 2, 2017 3:38 PM in response to nscott20

The issue here is most likely due to the Y2 Crystal Oscillator not resonating properly. This is a common problem with the iPhone 5c. The only way ITB can be replaced is by soldering a new one onto the logic board, getting a new logic board, or just replacing the phone completely. Sometimes though, a simple Auto date and time switch or some other suggestions will fix the problem and even a factory reset will too.

If the Y2 Crystal Oscillator is not functioning, you might also get symptoms like wifi cutting out every ~15 minutes, Bluetooth not working, Date and time issues, and gps issues.

I've had this issue for a year now and ive gotten used to it.

Started about ios 8.1.2, now running 10.3.3. Did about 5 factory resets since first noticing.

(Add 5c support to ios 11 please Apple)

May 14, 2014 11:36 PM in response to brad805

Doesn't work. Well, works for about a minute, then it goes back to whatever random time it feels like displaying. It helps if just need to know the time in the moment, and have a good 15-20 seconds to stand there and mess around with settings, but I can't use the alarm, timer, or stopwatch. I had to go buy an alarm clock! Do you know how hard those are to find in 2014??

Jun 5, 2014 12:49 AM in response to nscott20

My roommate has been having the same problem with hers for months. We've fought with Apple and Verizon over how to fix it. They both tend to shrug and say "well, it's a software issue. Nothing we can do about it until Apple releases a patch for it. Just reset the phone to factory defaults any time it goes off." (It goes off every 1~14 hours.)

It's absolutely frustrating. She's tried everything to fix it. It gets reset several times daily and will continually go off. It goes off when connected to a computer. It goes off when it's sleeping. It goes off when it's rebooted. She uses a lot of time sensitive apps and programs, so this is a major inconvenience


There is often also a problem of iMessages and text messages not going through from either party when the time starts going off as well. She's about ready to switch away from both Apple and Verizon at this point, and I don't blame her. 😟

Jun 7, 2014 10:21 AM in response to nscott20

I have the same issue, ive been dealing with my provider and Apple for 2 weeks now. Restoring the phone to factory default, auto setting the time all the time, even to sending some data to the developpers and they came up with NOTHING. I changed my SIM card as well. I feel like i have been left in limbo with no help what so ever cause no one is willing to take the "Blame" for the issue. Now its to the point where even the date will no longer change ( Its 1:16 June 7th and my phone says its 7:09pm June 6th) I am getting very frustrated as i have been very patient with everyone, did everything i was told and spent more then 8h on the phone with Apple.


I wish they would find a solution or change the phone!!! 😠

Jun 19, 2014 11:55 PM in response to nscott20

Hi, My iphone 5c has started doing this now.. it loses time over a period of time and carry's on and then doesn't know what day it is, very frustrating. Has anyone managed to solve this so it doesn't lose time? Can't use my alarm on my phone now because it doesn't display the correct time. Apple better come up with a patch to fix this problem soon as it seems more and more people are getting this issue.

Jul 9, 2014 2:29 PM in response to nscott20

Ok, so this is a two fold problem. One just like brad805 pointed out you have to have Settings App > General > Date & Time > if Set Automatically is OFF > ON, if it was ON > OFF > Set Date & Time yourself (but when you bring up this screen to manually set time there is this little reminder about having location services set to ON for it to change time zones correctly). So, leave it Settings App > General > Date & Time > if Set Automatically is OFF > ON, now go back to Settings App>Privacy>Location Services>ON (if off). Once I did this (which mine was off) and I went back to Date & Time instead of it thinking I was in New York, it now showed a very complicated America/Indiana/Indiana... (I suspect this is due to the fact that Indiana has 3 time zones EST, EDT (for the counties that observe) and CDT). Now time is running automatic and smoothly. This was on an iPhone 5c 16 GB running 7.1.2 on Verizon. I hope this helps.


On a side note, its sad that techs in the store cannot read the screen and Apples little notes on it to help you out.

Nov 10, 2014 9:09 AM in response to nscott20

I Have an iPhone 5c live in London -uk and on 02 phone provider, date and time issues for the last 10 days. Still not working whilst switching on and off the auto set, reset everything, still not having the right time and date. i have the latest OS 8.1, and getting concerned why the geo locator symbol doesn't appear in the 'date and time' page in General, when it's set to auto......it's a mystery which causes a lot of problems. I'm not impressed.

Why does the iPhone 5c display wrong time?

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