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Your Guide in Setting the Timezone of Your Dash Cam

“Which timezone should I set my dash cam to?” - this is one of the most frequently asked questions by our customers, and everytime we get asked, we provide different answers. Why? Because the time zone varies per location, and unlike being automatically synced on your smartphone, with many cameras you’ll need to provide that information in a GMT format.

In this article, we will help you determine the proper time zone for your dash cam, while also listing down the importance of having the accurate one for your device. We will also help you configure it through your unit itself or the smartphone app. Ready? Time starts now!

Which time zone should I set my dash cam to?

The answer is simple – it depends on where you’re at. North America has multiple time zones depending on the state and province. For most dash cams, the time zone is calculated in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or Universal Coordinated Time (UCT). To clarify, there is no difference between GMT and UCT, so we hope you don’t get confused by these terms.

There are eight time zones of Canada and the United States. Here’s a reference on which time you should set your dash cam to depending on your location:

Pacific Standard Time Zone [GMT−08:00]

The following states and provinces fully use Pacific Standard time:

  • California
  • Nevada
  • Washington
  • Yukon

Next, these states and provinces partially use Pacific Standard time:

  • British Columbia
  • Idaho
  • Oregon

Mountain Standard Time Zone [GMT−07:00]

The following states and provinces fully use Mountain Standard time:

  • Alberta
  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Montana
  • New Mexico
  • Northwest Territories
  • Utah
  • Wyoming

Next, these states and provinces partially use Mountain time:

  • British Columbia
  • Idaho
  • Kansas
  • Nebraska
  • North Dakota
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Texas

*Arizona does not use daily saving time, outside of the Navajo Nation.

Central Standard Time Zone [GMT−06:00]

The following states and provinces fully use Central Standard time:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Illinois
  • Iowa
  • Louisiana
  • Manitoba
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Oklahoma
  • Saskatchewan
  • Wisconsin

Next, these states and provinces partially use Central Standard time:

  • Florida
  • Indiana
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • Nebraska
  • North Dakota
  • Nunavut
  • Ontario
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas

 

Eastern Standard Time Zone [GMT−05:00]

The following states and provinces fully use Eastern time:

  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Georgia
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia

Moreover, the following states and provinces partially use Eastern time:

  • Florida
  • Indiana
  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • Ontario
  • Quebec
  • Tennessee

Alaska Time Zone [GMT−09:00]

  • The state of Alaska partially uses Alaska time.

Hawaii‑Aleutian Time Zone [GMT−10:00]

  • The state of Hawaii fully uses the Hawaii‑Aleutian time zone and Alaska partially uses the Alaska Hawaii‑Aleutian time zone.

*Hawaii does not use daily saving time

Atlantic Standard Time Zone [GMT−4:00]

The following provinces fully use Atlantic Standard time:

  • New Brunswick
  • Nova Scotia
  • Prince Edward Island

Newfoundland Standard Time Zone [GMT−03:30]

  • The province of Newfoundland and Labrador uses Newfoundland Standard time.

Things to Consider Beyond Time Zone Settings

The United States and Canada both observe Daylight Saving Time (DST), in which clocks are moved forward or backward by one hour to optimize daylight during specified times of the year.

For your dash cams, the Daylight Savings Time setting must be manually enabled and disabled. If the time zone is right but the time is still off by an hour, you have an option to enable or disable daylight saving time. Remember, we want your dash cam footage to be as consistent as possible especially in terms of timestamps, so make sure to adjust your timezone once DST is implemented. Daylight Saving Time in the USA and Canada starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November – please do take note of that!

Moreover, when you change the time zone and save the setting, the next time you insert the microSD card into the dash cam, it will format the microSD card and restart automatically. Changing the timezone of your camera will erase all footage. We recommend you to backup any important videos that are in the microSD card before changing the timezone as well.

What is the importance of setting the timezone in the dash cam?

Setting the timezone is a standard setting in every dash cam, as your dash cam is a device that tells and uses time for it to serve its purpose. While recording footage, your dash cam video may include a timestamp. A timestamp is the current time of an event recorded by your dash cam. Your dash cam maintains accurate current time, calibrated to minute fractions of a second, using technologies such as the Network Time Protocol.

Setting this on your dash cam has a very important role – providing strong evidence. When providing video evidence, the time assists in determining the sequence of events that occurred during an incident, providing a precise time frame for analyzing footage. This ensures that timestamps match the local time, making it easier to correlate occurrences with other sources of information, such as witness statements or traffic logs.

Moreover, setting the timezone on your dash cam is critical for consistency and comparison of footage from different sources. For example, having multiple dash cams installed in different vehicles that are all synchronized with the same time zone makes it easier to evaluate and piece together the events precisely.

If your dash cam also has a built-in GPS feature that helps you in locating and monitoring the route of your vehicle, whether for personal use or fleet management, this must also be well considered. Your GPS would most likely provide false information if your time zone is incorrect.

How do I set the timezone of my dash cam?

The specific way to change the time zone on a dash cam varies depending on the model and brand. However, here are the general procedures to changing the time zone, which is applicable to all dash cams:

  1. Go to Settings. Whether you’re using your dash cam’s screen interface or dedicated smartphone app, the time zone can be set through its Settings. Turn on your dash cam and navigate to the settings menu.

  2. Check the Date and Time Settings. Within your dash cam’s Settings menu, look for options related to date and time settings. These settings may be labeled as "Time," "Clock," or "Date/Time."

  3. Adjust Time Zone: Once you have accessed the date and time settings, locate the option to change the time zone. Your dash cam may display a list of available time zones or provide a numerical value corresponding to different regions, which we will specify in the next section. Select the appropriate time zone that corresponds to your location. Then, save and confirm the changes.

*Once you have changed the time zone on your dash cam, we recommend you to verify the accuracy depending on your location.

Got More Questions?

Not to fret, our in-house product experts are here to help. We have spent years curating helpful content and video guides, helping customers with their dash cams, but we understand that we can always do better. Contact us using the form below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. We love what we do, because we're here to help you make the most informed purchasing decision.