Interim guidance for Cuba DST 2026

On 27th October 2026, Cuba officially announced a significant change regarding Daylight Saving Time (DST). The country has decided to revoke the planned clock shift for autumn 2026, meaning that on Sunday, 1st November 2026, clocks will not roll back by one hour as initially scheduled. The Cuban government confirmed that daylight saving time will continue uninterrupted until 7th November 2027. 

Here’s how this decision will affect residents: 

1. The clocks will not be set back by an hour at 02:00 a.m. on 1st November 2026 in Cuba. 
2. Cuba will maintain its daylight saving time up until 7th November 2027.. 

Microsoft is preparing an update to accommodate this change. However, during the transition period, a temporary workaround may be necessary. 

The following platforms will receive an update to support this time change in the upcoming security update scheduled for 10th November 2026:

• Windows 11, version 26H2
• Windows 11, version 26H1
• Windows 11, version 25H2
• Windows 11, version 24H2
• Windows 10, Enterprise LTSC 2021
• Windows Server 2025
• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2016

For more details, please take a look at our official policy page that explains how Windows handles time zone adjustments.

We emphasise that testing and releasing the necessary updates takes time. Consequently, a Windows update will follow shortly after the change is implemented. The platforms listed above will support the Cuba time zone adjustment by the November 2026 security update on 10th November 2026. 

In the meantime, devices may show the wrong local time. To help organisations in Cuba, we recommend these temporary workarounds after 1st November 2026: 

1. Navigate to Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time. Turn off the “Set time zone automatically” option. 
2. Change the time zone from “(UTC-05:00) Havana” to “(UTC-04:00) Georgetown, La Paz, Manaus, San Juan”..  

These alternatives will give you the necessary UTC offset but have different names and geographical mappings. They are not permanent solutions. 

We advise installing the November 2026 Windows monthly update and switching to the correct time zone as soon as possible. 

After you’ve installed the November 2026 security update, double-check that your device is showing the correct local time. 

1. Go to Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time. Ensure the “Set time zone automatically” toggle is turned on.  
2. When this setting is on and location services are enabled, Windows will pick the right time zone based on your device’s location automatically. No further actions will be needed. 
3. Finally, check that the date and time displayed match the time zone “(UTC-04:00) Havana”. 

For further information, please visit our official policy page and read more about How Windows manages time zone changes.