Daylight saving time guide
EST vs EDT: what changes for meetings?
Eastern Time switches between EST in winter and EDT during daylight saving time. A date-aware timezone avoids one-hour mistakes.
Quick answer
Live IANA timezone check
This page uses America/New_York, not a fixed abbreviation, so the browser's IANA timezone database can show the current short name and UTC offset.
When New York changes
Most US Eastern Time locations move to daylight time in March and return to standard time in November. The exact offset on a meeting date is calculated from the IANA database.
For precise scheduling, use the IANA timezone such as America/New_York and a real calendar date. Abbreviations are helpful labels, but they can be ambiguous and change with daylight saving time.
FAQ
Is EST the same as EDT?
No. EST is UTC minus 5 hours, while EDT is UTC minus 4 hours.
Should I write EST or ET in an invite?
If you mean the current local time in New York, ET or America/New_York is safer than EST.
Why did my meeting move by one hour?
Your city and the other city may start or end daylight saving on different dates.