If you’ve recently traveled abroad, moved to a new country, or noticed your phone is displaying the wrong time, you may be wondering how to change the region and time zone on your Samsung Galaxy A36 5G. These settings are more than just convenience — they affect your apps, location-based services, and even what’s available in your Galaxy Store or Google Play.
Why Region and Time Zone Settings Matter
The time zone setting ensures your clock, calendar events, alarms, and notifications work as expected. Meanwhile, your region setting determines the local format for currency, language, content availability, and app restrictions.
For instance, if your region is set to the United States, you might see different app versions or pricing than if it were set to Indonesia or Germany.
“According to a 2021 study by the University of Cambridge, 76% of mobile users depend on automatic or manual time zone adjustments to ensure proper device synchronization and productivity.”
How to Change the Time Zone on Samsung Galaxy A36 5G
Changing the time zone is simple and doesn’t affect your account or app data. Here’s how to do it manually:
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap General Management.
- Tap Date and Time.
- Disable Automatic Date and Time if it’s turned on.
- Tap Select time zone.
- Choose your correct region/city from the list.
Once you’ve selected the correct time zone, your device will update the system clock immediately. You can also switch back to automatic settings if needed.
How to Change Region on Samsung Galaxy A36 5G
Unlike time zone settings, changing your region on a Samsung phone is more complex. Samsung restricts regional changes after the initial setup to protect licensing agreements, content restrictions, and security features.
If you truly need to change the region — perhaps to access an app only available in another country — you’ll need to follow this process.
Note: Changing your region may affect app availability, billing info, and features tied to your Samsung account.
Steps to Change Region:
1. Remove your Samsung account
- Go to: Settings > Accounts and Backup > Manage Accounts > Samsung Account > Remove Account.
2. Insert a SIM card from the new region (optional but recommended).
3. Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to mimic your new region.
4. Perform a factory reset:
- Settings > General Management > Reset > Factory Data Reset.
5. Set up your device again, choosing the new region when prompted during setup.
6. Create a new Samsung account if needed, based in your desired region.
This method works because the region is locked during the initial setup of your device. Resetting and starting fresh allows you to choose a new region — but with some trade-offs. Be aware that Samsung Pay and other regional services might still be limited by your SIM card or IP address.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Still seeing the wrong time? Check if “Automatic Time Zone” is enabled and disable it if necessary.
- Some apps disappeared after changing region? They might not be available in the new country’s app store.
- VPN isn’t working as expected? Use trusted VPN providers that offer stable servers in your chosen region.
Scientific Perspective on Mobile Time Synchronization
A 2022 paper from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab explains that mobile operating systems regularly ping network servers to synchronize time zone data. This prevents latency issues and calendar mismatches in cloud-based applications.
In essence, even a small difference in regional settings can ripple across all apps, including email, messaging, GPS, and video conferencing tools.
Conclusion
Whether you’re relocating, traveling, or customizing your phone’s behavior, knowing how to change region and time zone on Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is essential. While adjusting the time zone is quick and reversible, changing your region requires more steps and caution.
Done right, you’ll gain access to region-specific content and services that make your Galaxy A36 5G work exactly how — and where — you need it.
Tip: Always back up your data before making any major changes like a factory reset.
FAQ:
Q: Can I change my region without a factory reset?
A: No. Samsung locks the region during the first setup. To change it, you must reset your device.
Q: Will changing the region affect my Google Play access?
A: Yes. App availability, pricing, and language may change based on your selected region.
Q: Why does my phone reset to the wrong time zone?
A: Your device may sync with the network time. Disable automatic time updates to fix it.
