When Does Daylight Saving End in Fall 2026?

Every fall, I get that moment of panic. Did Europe change already? Or was it next week? Because if I schedule a transatlantic meeting during that weird one-week gap when the US and Europe are on different DST schedules, someone's showing up an hour early or an hour late.

Daylight saving time ends soon. Here's when clocks fall back, how it affects global scheduling, and why that one-week gap between US and European clock changes creates chaos.

When Do Clocks Fall Back in 2026?

United States: November 2, 2026

In the United States, daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 2, 2026, at 2:00 AM local time. At that moment, clocks "fall back" one hour to 1:00 AM, marking the return to Standard Time.

Key details:

• Clocks move from 2:00 AM to 1:00 AM
• You effectively "gain" an hour of sleep
• Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) becomes Eastern Standard Time (EST)
• Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) becomes Pacific Standard Time (PST)

The change occurs at 2:00 AM in each time zone, so the transition ripples across the country over several hours.

Europe: October 25, 2026

European countries end daylight saving time one week earlier than the US. On Sunday, October 25, 2026, clocks fall back across the continent:

• United Kingdom and Ireland: Clocks move from 2:00 AM BST to 1:00 AM GMT
• Central Europe (France, Germany, Spain, Italy): Clocks move from 3:00 AM CEST to 2:00 AM CET
• Eastern Europe (Finland, Greece, Poland): Clocks move from 4:00 AM EEST to 3:00 AM EET

Unlike the US, European countries change at the same UTC moment (1:00 AM UTC), meaning the transition happens simultaneously across the continent.

What Does "Fall Back" Mean?

The phrase "fall back" is a memory aid used alongside "spring forward" to remember which direction clocks move during daylight saving transitions:

• Spring forward: In spring, clocks move forward one hour, and you lose an hour
• Fall back: In fall (autumn), clocks move backward one hour, and you gain an hour

When clocks fall back, you experience 1:00 AM twice on that night. This is why many people consider the fall transition easier on the body—you get an extra hour of sleep rather than losing one.

The Impact on Daylight

After the fall back:

• Sunrise occurs approximately one hour earlier
• Sunset occurs approximately one hour earlier
• Morning commutes become lighter
• Evening darkness arrives much earlier

Many people find the sudden early darkness in the evening difficult to adjust to, even though they gained an hour of sleep.

The Tricky Week: US-Europe Time Difference Shift

Europe changes October 25. The US changes November 2. Between those dates, the time difference shifts by one hour and everyone gets confused.

| Period | New York to London | New York to Paris |

|--------|-------------------|-------------------|

| Before Oct 25 | 5 hours | 6 hours |

| Oct 25 - Nov 1 | 4 hours | 5 hours |

| After Nov 2 | 5 hours | 6 hours |

What this means for regular transatlantic meetings:

• Your 3:00 PM London meeting that's normally 10:00 AM New York? It's 11:00 AM New York for one week.
• Your 9:00 AM New York meeting that's normally 2:00 PM London? It's 1:00 PM London for one week.

If you have standing meetings during this period, send a heads-up message. Otherwise someone's sitting alone on a Zoom call wondering where everyone went. According to timeanddate.com, this week causes more scheduling errors than any other time of year.

Scheduling Tips for the Fall Time Change

1. Mark Both Dates on Your Calendar

Add reminders for both October 25 (Europe) and November 2 (US) to your calendar. Flag any meetings that occur during the transition week that might need adjustment.

2. Use UTC for Critical Meetings

During the transition period, consider specifying meeting times in UTC. A meeting at "15:00 UTC" remains constant regardless of local clock changes, eliminating confusion.

3. Update Recurring Meetings

If you have recurring international meetings, verify they still work after the time change. Most calendar applications handle DST automatically, but double-check that the new local times remain convenient for all participants.

4. Communicate Proactively

Send a quick message to international colleagues a few days before each clock change reminding them of the shift. This simple step prevents missed meetings and demonstrates consideration for global team members.

5. Use Time Zone Tools

The Whenest Meeting Planner automatically accounts for DST transitions when scheduling. Enter any date—including dates during the tricky transition week—and see accurate local times for all participants.

Regions That Don't Fall Back

Not everywhere observes daylight saving time. These regions stay on the same time year-round:

• Arizona (US, except Navajo Nation)
• Hawaii (US)
• Most of Asia including China, Japan, India
• Most of Africa
• Iceland
• Russia (abolished DST in 2011)

When scheduling with contacts in these regions, remember that the time difference changes only from your side.

Plan Ahead for Fall 2026

DST ends every year at predictable times. Yet it catches people off guard every single time.

Mark both dates: October 25 for Europe, November 2 for the US. Flag meetings that happen during the transition week. Send reminders. That's it. That's all the planning required to avoid the chaos.

For all DST transitions in 2026 including spring dates, see 2026 Daylight Saving Time Dates Worldwide. For how DST works, check Understanding Daylight Saving Time.

Scheduling during the transition? Use the Time Zone Converter for exact times or the Overlap Finder to find meeting windows that work for everyone.