How to Set the Time on a Casio Watch

Casio makes hundreds of watches, and the right buttons to press depend on the module (the movement inside), not just the model. This guide covers the methods that work on most Casio digital, G-Shock, analogue-digital and solar models. Read it alongside the official manual for your watch.

Step 1: Find your module number

Turn your watch over. Engraved on the caseback (back cover) you'll find a model name, such as GA-2100, and a separate module number, usually four digits (sometimes three). The module number is the one you need, because one module can sit inside several different models. The classic F-91W and A158W digitals, for example, both use module 593, while the G-Shock GA-2100 uses module 5611.

Enter that number on Casio's official watch manual search to get the exact operation guide for your watch. If you're unsure which number is which, Casio has a guide to finding your model name and module number.

Before you start: home city and daylight saving in Australia

Many Casio watches with world time, and most G-Shock, solar and radio-controlled models, calculate the time from a home city plus a daylight saving time (DST) setting. If the hour is out by exactly one hour, or by several, the home city or DST setting is usually the cause, not the time itself.

• Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart: choose SYD (Sydney). Turn DST on from the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April, and off for the rest of the year.
• Brisbane: choose SYD with DST always off, because Queensland doesn't observe daylight saving.
• Adelaide: choose ADL with DST following the same October–April dates. Darwin: choose ADL with DST always off.
• Perth: choose a UTC+8 city (Hong Kong, HKG, is common) with DST off.

City codes vary between modules, so check the city code table in your manual.

How to set the time on a classic Casio digital watch

Simple three-button digitals such as the F-91W and A158W typically work like this:

1. From the normal time display, press the mode button (usually bottom left) repeatedly until the seconds start flashing. On module 593 that's three presses.
2. One button changes the flashing value and another moves to the next setting. Which button does what varies by module.
3. Settings usually run in a fixed order: seconds, hour, minutes, then month, date and day. Changing the seconds resets them to 00, which lets you sync to the exact minute.
4. Press mode again to finish.

If you leave a setting flashing without pressing anything, most models return to the time display after a minute or two.

How to set the time on a G-Shock

Most current four-button G-Shock and Casio digital models follow this typical pattern:

1. In timekeeping mode, hold the top-left button (labelled A or ADJUST) for a few seconds until the city code flashes.
2. Use the right-hand buttons to change the home city: bottom right (D) is usually "+" and top right (B) is usually "–".
3. Press the bottom-left button (C) to step through the other settings: typically DST, 12/24-hour format, seconds, hour, minutes, year, month and day. Some models also include other settings, such as button tone or light duration.
4. Press the top-left button again to exit.

Newer G-Shock models with a different menu layout may use other steps, so if the city code doesn't appear, check your manual. Browse our G-Shock collection to see current models.

How to set the time on an analogue-digital (ana-digi) Casio

Ana-digi watches have both hands and a digital display, and the two may be set differently:

• On many G-Shock ana-digi models, you set the digital time with the buttons as above, and the hands then move to match it automatically.
• On models with a crown, such as some Casio vintage ana-digi styles, you usually set the hands with the crown and the digital display with the buttons, so each one needs setting separately.

If the hands don't line up with the digital time after setting, the watch probably needs its hand home position adjusted. A strong knock or magnet can shift the hands. Most ana-digi manuals include a procedure for this, so look for "home position" or "hand alignment".

Casio Illuminator models

"Illuminator" is Casio's name for its bright LED backlight, not a separate type of watch. To set the time on an Illuminator, use the method above for its display type (digital, ana-digi or G-Shock), and check the manual for your module. Pressing the light button usually just lights the display.

Solar and radio-controlled watches (Wave Ceptor and Multi Band 6)

Tough Solar watches charge from light. If the time keeps resetting or the display goes blank, the battery may be low or the watch may be in power-saving mode. Leave it in bright light, then set the time again.

Radio-controlled models (Wave Ceptor and Multi Band 6 G-Shocks) set themselves from time signals broadcast in Japan, China, North America, the UK and Germany. There's no supported transmitter in Australia, and in Casio's time-zone tables, Sydney isn't a city that can receive a signal. In Australia, set the home city and DST correctly and adjust the time manually as described above, unless your model also connects to your phone.

Bluetooth models

Casio watches with Bluetooth can set the time automatically from your smartphone through Casio's official app. Pair the watch as the manual describes, and it will sync the time and home city from your phone.

Shop Casio

Looking for a new watch? Explore our full Casio range, from classic digitals to G-Shock, or read our guide to the best Casio watches in Australia.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set the time on my Casio watch?

First find the module number engraved on the caseback, then look up its manual on Casio's official support site. As a typical guide, on classic three-button digitals you press the mode button until the seconds flash, then adjust each setting. On most G-Shock and four-button models you hold the top-left (ADJUST) button until the city code flashes, then press the bottom-left button to step through the settings.

Where is the module number on a Casio watch?

The module number is engraved on the caseback (back cover) of the watch. It's usually a four-digit number (sometimes three), and it's separate from the model name. Enter it on Casio's official manual search to find your operation guide.

Why is my Casio watch one hour out?

The home city or daylight saving (DST) setting is usually the cause. In Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart, choose SYD and turn DST on from the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April. In Brisbane, choose SYD with DST off.

How do I change the date on a Casio watch?

On most Casio models, the date is part of the same setting sequence as the time. Enter time-setting mode, step past the hour and minutes to the year, month and day, adjust them, then exit.

Will my radio-controlled Casio set itself automatically in Australia?

Usually not. Casio's radio-controlled watches receive time signals from transmitters in Japan, China, North America, the UK and Germany, and there's no supported transmitter in Australia. Set the time manually, or use the smartphone app if your model has Bluetooth.

Why don't the hands match the digital time on my analogue-digital Casio?

A knock or strong magnet can shift the hands out of alignment. Most ana-digi models have a hand home position adjustment, so look for "home position" or "hand alignment" in your module's manual.