Updating Your Canadian Time Zone for Permanent Daylight Saving Time

In this article:

• Before You Begin
• Choosing Your New Time Zone
• Updating Your Profile Time Zone
• Updating Your Upcoming Sessions
  • Seeing a Session Time Twice
  • Checking Recurring Session Series
• Reviewing Your Availability
• Checking Your Google Calendar Sync
• Updating Your Clients' Time Zones
  • Sending the Update to Clients with a Broadcast
  • Updating a Client Who Has Not Activated Their Account
• Using a Windows Computer
• Fixing Times That Look Wrong
• Still Need Help?

Before You Begin

A few quick updates keep your schedule accurate after the change. Here is what to know before you start.

• Three separate settings control the times you and your clients see: your profile time zone, each session's time zone, and each client's account time zone. Changing one setting does not change the others.
   
• Updating your profile time zone does not update your existing sessions. Sessions saved in an old time zone follow the old fall-back rules, so they shift by one hour on and after November 1, 2026. Update each of those sessions to the new time zone. Sessions scheduled before November 1, 2026 are already correct.
   
• Clients update their own account time zone; after a client activates their portal, only the client can change it.
   
• Update the Practice Better mobile app to the latest version. Older versions do not show the new time zones. For now, make your time zone changes on the web.
   
• Using a Windows computer? Keep your Windows time zone on the temporary setting listed in the Using a Windows Computer section until browsers are updated to support the new time zones.
   
• Practice in Yukon, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, or a province east of Manitoba? These areas are not affected, and you do not need to make any changes.

Choosing Your New Time Zone

Choose the new Practice Better time zone that matches where you practice. All of British Columbia uses Pacific Time (British Columbia). Practitioners in the N.W.T. choose Mountain Time (Alberta).

If you don't see the new options in the time zone list, refresh the page, or log out and back in, and update the Practice Better app.

Updating Your Profile Time Zone

Your profile time zone is the global time zone for your practice. It controls your calendar, your availability, and the dates and times in the emails you receive.

Updating Your Time Zone on the Web

1. Go to My Practice > My Profile.
2. In the Time zone field, select your new time zone: Pacific Time (British Columbia) for BC, Mountain Time (Alberta) for Alberta and the N.W.T., or Manitoba for Manitoba.
3. Click Save Changes near the top-right.

📍 Note: Your existing sessions keep their current time zone. Next, update your upcoming sessions.

Updating Your Time Zone in the Mobile App

📍 Note: The new time zones appear only after you update the app to the latest version. Until the app is updated it's best to perform session management for post-Nov-1 sessions on the web.

1. Check your device’s app store for an update to the Practice Better app. 
   • Until the Practice Better app update (version 2.8.79) is available, use the website to book, move or edit any session after Nov 1. Once the update is out, update your app before using it for those sessions.
2. Open the up-to-date Practice Better app and tap the hamburger menu.
3. Tap your profile picture in the top-left.
4. Find the Time zone field and select your new time zone.
5. Tap Save changes.

Updating Your Upcoming Sessions

Update every session scheduled on or after November 1, 2026. You can make these updates at any time before the session takes place. Each session is updated one at a time, so start with the sessions closest to November 1.

1. Go to My Schedule > My Bookings.
    
2. Click Reschedule on an upcoming session.
    
3. In the Time zone field, select your new time zone. Leave the date and time as they are. The displayed time stays the same.
   
    
4. Decide whether to notify your client. The Send a notification about this update checkbox is selected by default. Clear the checkbox if you prefer not to send a notification. 
   
    
5. Click the Update button in the pop-up to save your changes.

📍 Note: Sessions scheduled before November 1, 2026 stay correct. You only need to update sessions on or after that date.

Seeing a Session Time Twice

After November 1, 2026, the abbreviation shown next to a time can differ from the one your province uses. The time itself is correct. A session can also show its time twice, for example “9:00 AM PDT (9:00 AM PDT)”. This is expected. The session is still saved in the old time zone, and Practice Better detects your new one.

Update your scheduled session(s) using the steps above.

The duplicate label disappears once the session is updated. Older sessions can keep showing both labels, and their times are correct.

Checking Recurring Session Series

A recurring series booked in the new time zone stays at the same local time across November 1, 2026. A series booked in an old time zone needs a check. Look at each series that runs past November 1, 2026, and update it using the steps here: Updating a Recurring Series →

Reviewing Your Availability

Your availability uses the time zone in your profile. After you change your profile time zone, your availability blocks can display at different hours. Open your availability and confirm the hours match your working hours. Move any blocks that shifted.

Learn more about Managing Your Availability →

Checking Your Google Calendar Sync

Sessions sync to Google Calendar with the time set on the Practice Better booking, and synced events stay correct after you switch time zones. Double-check a few upcoming sessions in both calendars after you update.

If a time looks different, unlink and relink your Google Calendar to refresh the connection.

1. Go to Settings > Integrations.
2. Click Unlink next to Google Calendar.
3. Click Link next to Google Calendar and follow the prompts to reconnect.

Learn more about Troubleshooting Your Google Calendar Sync →

⚠️ Important: Unlinking removes all Google Calendar events from your Practice Better calendar and all Practice Better events from your Google Calendar. Events repopulate after you relink and save your settings.

Updating Your Clients' Time Zones

Your clients need to update their own account time zone so their emails, text messages, and reminders show the right time. 

Sending the Update to Clients with a Broadcast

Broadcast messages let you reach many clients at once, so you send one message instead of many. Clients with Client Portal access update their own account time zone, so tag those clients first, then send a single broadcast to that tag.

📍 Note: Broadcasts are available on Plus and Team plans.

Creating a Time Zone Notice Tag

1. Go to My Clients.
    
2. Click Create new tag in the left navigation bar, or in the Fast Action Button menu in the bottom-right corner.
    
3. Enter a tag name, such as “Time Zone Notice”, and select a color.
    
4. Click Create.

Tagging Your Clients with Portal Access

1. Go to My Clients.
    
2. Click the Active Clients filter.
    
3. Click Select Multiple in the top-right corner.
    
4. Check the box next to “0 clients selected” to select all clients in this filtered list.
    
5. Click Add or remove tags in the top-right corner.
    
6. Choose Add, enter your “Time Zone Notice” tag, and click Submit.

📍 Note: The “status:active” filter inside the Broadcast workflow also lists clients who have not been invited to the Client Portal. Tagging first gives you an exact recipient list. Clients without portal access cannot change their own time zone. See Updating a Client Who Has Not Activated Their Account below.

Learn more about Organizing Clients Using Tags in Practice Better →

Sending the Broadcast

1. Click the Messages icon in the main navigation bar.
    
2. Click the Fast Action Button in the bottom-right corner and select New broadcast.
    
3. Enter a description for your own reference, such as “Time Zone Update”. Clients do not see this description.
    
4. Choose a delivery method. Direct chat message and email reaches clients inside the portal and in their inbox.
    
5. Choose Send immediately or Schedule for a future date.
    
6. Paste the client message from Copying the Client Message below into the message field. 
    
7. Under recipients, select your “Time Zone Notice” tag.
    
8. Review your recipient list and click Submit/Schedule.

Learn more about Sending Broadcast Messages to Clients →

📍 Note: Scheduled broadcasts send based on the time zone in your profile. Update your profile time zone first so your message sends when you expect.

Copying the Client Message

Copy the message below as a starting template to communicate these changes to your clients.

Live in British Columbia, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, or Manitoba? 

From November 1, 2026, your province stays on its current time all year. Clocks no longer fall back.

1. Update the Practice Better app to the latest version if you use it.
2. Change the time zone in your Practice Better account so your reminders and emails show the right times. 
   • On the web, open the profile menu, select My Profile or Edit Profile, choose your time zone in the Time zone field, and click Save Changes. 
   • In the app, tap the hamburger menu, tap your profile picture in the top-left, choose your time zone, and tap Save changes. 
3. Choose your province’s new time zone:
   • BC: Pacific Time (British Columbia)
   • Alberta and the Northwest Territories: Mountain Time (Alberta)
   • Manitoba: Manitoba
4. Your practitioner will update your upcoming sessions. If a session time looks an hour off after November 1, contact your practitioner.

Using a Windows computer? Turn off "Set time zone automatically," and keep your Windows time zone on a temporary setting for now. Windows browsers are still waiting on updates, so times on websites, including Practice Better, can look an hour off if you switch to the new provincial zone. 

Set your Windows time zone to Yukon (for BC), Saskatchewan (for Alberta and the Northwest Territories), or Bogota (for Manitoba) instead. This applies only to your Windows setting. You still change your Practice Better time zone as shown above. 

Updating a Client Who Has Not Activated Their Account

If a client has not activated their Client Portal account yet, you can set their time zone from their client record. Open the client's record, go to the Contact Information section of their Basic Information, select the correct time zone, and save your changes. After a client activates their portal, only the client can change their time zone.

Using a Windows Computer

Microsoft has released new Windows time zones for BC, Alberta, the N.W.T., and Manitoba. However, Chrome, Edge, and Firefox browsers cannot read the new Windows time zones yet, so they report the wrong offset. 

Pages in those browsers, including Practice Better, show times an hour off. Other sites, such as Outlook on the web and Google Calendar, and desktop apps built on Chrome, such as Teams and Slack, behave the same way. Your Windows clock itself stays correct.

Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices are not affected by this issue.

⚠️ Important: Do not switch your Windows time zone to the new provincial time zone yet. Keep your Practice Better time zone set to the new provincial time zone.

Setting a Temporary Windows Time Zone

1. On your Windows computer, go to Settings > Time & language > Date & time.
2. In Date & time, turn off "Set time zone automatically."
3. Set your Windows time zone to the temporary setting for your province: 
   • Yukon for BC, 
   • Saskatchewan for Alberta and the N.W.T 
   • Bogota for Manitoba.
4. Fully close and reopen your browser.
5. In Practice Better, confirm your profile time zone is set to your new provincial time zone.

✅ These temporary settings use the same offset as your new time zone all year, so your actual time stays correct. Only the label differs. Your emails can show "(Canada Standard Time)", "-05", or a blank label. The times are correct, and setting the session's time zone to your provincial zone gives the clearest labels.

Helping Clients on Windows Book Sessions

Clients on a Windows computer set to the new provincial time zone can see times an hour off while booking. Practice Better saves the exact slot the client selects. Ask these clients to use the temporary Windows setting above, or to use a different browser or device.

Fixing Times That Look Wrong

Q: Where are the new time zones in the list?

A: Refresh the page, or log out and back in, and update the Practice Better app to the latest version. If the new time zones are still missing after a refresh, contact Practice Better support.

Q: Do my sessions before November 1 change?

A: No. Times before November 1, 2026 are correct. Sessions in the old time zones go an hour off only on and after November 1, which is why you update those sessions.

Q: Why does my client's reminder show the wrong time?

A: The client's account time zone may still be set to the old Pacific Time (US & Canada) option. The session is at the right moment, but the reminder shows it in US Pacific time. Ask the client to change their account time zone to their province's new time zone. 

Q: Why does a session booked from the mobile app look wrong after November 1?

A: Older versions of the app use outdated time zone data. Update the Practice Better app to the latest version, and book sessions on the web for now. If a session time looks wrong, update the session's time zone using the steps in the [Updating Your Upcoming Sessions] section, or contact Practice Better support.

Q: Why are my times an hour off on my Windows computer?

A: Your Windows time zone is likely set to the new provincial zone. Go to Settings > Time & language > Date & time, turn off "Set time zone automatically," select Yukon (BC), Saskatchewan (Alberta and the N.W.T.), or Bogota (Manitoba), and then fully close and reopen your browser. Keep your Practice Better profile time zone set to your new provincial time zone.

Still Need Help?

If a time still looks off after you work through these steps, our support team is ready to help. Share your province, your device and browser, and a link to the session, and we'll take a look.

How to Contact Practice Better Support →