Ubuntu Timezone Setup: Everything You Need to Know

Setting up the timezone and local time is a crucial first step on any device. If you are using Ubuntu Linux operating system, you can set your timezone manually by following these steps. Ubuntu typically asks you to select a timezone during the initial installation. If you use the Location service or are connected to your local internet connection, Ubuntu can automatically set the time, date, and timezone. If you prefer to do it manually, follow the steps below.

There are two methods to set up the timezone on Ubuntu. For Ubuntu desktop, you can change it from Settings, and for Ubuntu server, you can change it using the Terminal or SSH client.

Change Timezone from Ubuntu Desktop

If you're using Ubuntu Desktop, you can easily change your timezone from settings. Time and date are displayed on the Ubuntu desktop top panel. To change the timezone, open Settings, go to System, and open Date & Time. If Automatic Timezone is enabled, it will automatically detect the timezone according to your internet connection. If you need to change to another timezone, click on the timezone option.

In the timezone section, you'll see a list of all available regions. Select your timezone to set it manually.

Change Timezone via Command Line

If you're currently using Ubuntu server, the timezone becomes important when you install services for business purposes. Before changing the timezone, you need to check your current timezone. To check the current timezone, input the following command:

This will show all the details about the current timezone. To change it, you have two methods available: you can use the timedatectl command or the dpkg command.

Change Timezone with Timedatectl Command

This is the easiest method to change your timezone with a one-line command. The only complication is that you need to know your timezone name. For example, if I need to change my timezone to Kolkata, I would input the following command:

By using this command, I can change my current timezone to the Kolkata timezone. For find your Timezone click here.

Change timezone with Dpkg Command

This is a GUI method inside the terminal. If you need to change the timezone on Ubuntu server, you can select the timezone from a list and change it easily. To open the package, use the following dpkg command:

After inputting this command, you will see a list of all available regions. From the list, select your region and set your timezone easily.