Area residents will soon need to set their clocks forward as daylight saving time returns this Sunday morning at 2am. Despite ongoing debates in Congress about ending the twice-yearly clock change, daylight saving time remains in effect for 2026, meaning most of the U.S. will “spring forward” one hour on Sunday, March 8th.
Most modern devices such as smartphones, computers, and other connected electronics will update automatically. However, Illinoisans are reminded to manually adjust non-smart devices such as microwaves, older car radios, and analog wall clocks.
Efforts to eliminate the biannual time change have stalled at both the federal and state levels. In 2022, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would have made daylight saving time permanent, but the measure was not taken up by the House. The bill resurfaced in 2025 but again failed to advance.
President Donald Trump has voiced support for ending the clock changes. In December 2024, then-president-elect Trump announced his desire to eliminate daylight saving time and move to year-round standard time, a position he reiterated in April 2025.
Until Congress passes and enacts new legislation, Americans will continue to adjust their clocks twice a year. Clocks will “fall back” one hour, giving most Americans an extra hour of sleep, on November 1st.