How to Change the Time Zone in Linux

Linux time zones are simple and quick to change. Linux uses a symbolic link to set the time zone. The symbolic link is a file that references another file in the form of a path. When the two are linked together, you have successfully changed the time zone. There are many time zones available on your system and you can update it at anytime.

Instructions

1. Look in your directory under "/user/share/zoneinfo" and choose an available time zone. An example is "America/Los_Angeles."

2. Browse to your directory "/usr/share/zoneinfo/your/zone," where "your" is the country and "zone" is the city that is most appropriate for your time zone.

3. Replace "your/zone" with the time zone you chose in Step 1. An example is "/usr/share/zoneinfo/America/Los_Angeles."

4. Enter the symbolic link "/etc/localtime" after the link in Step 2. An example is "/usr/share/zoneinfo/America/Los_Angeles/etc/localtime." This links your local time to your specified time zone.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have an older version of Linux, the path to change your time zone is "/usr/lib/zoneinfo." Continue to use the path "/etc/localtime" after setting your time zone.

• If a time zone you would like does not appear in your directory, it is invalid for your system to use.

• The path "/etc/localtime" must be linked to your "/usr/share/zoneinfo" path in order for these steps to work.

Resources

• Get help setting your time zone
• Linux time zone tips