How to Change Ubuntu Server Time Zone via CLI?

Changing the time zone on an Ubuntu server ensures that your system logs, cron jobs, and applications use the correct local time. This guide provides a quick, step-by-step walkthrough on how to check your current time zone, view available time zones, and update your system configuration using the timedatectl command-line utility.

Step 1: Check the Current Time Zone

Before making any changes, it is helpful to verify the current time and date settings of your server. You can display this information by running the following command:

timedatectl

The output will show your local time, universal time (UTC), and the currently configured time zone (for example, Time zone: Etc/UTC).

Step 2: List Available Time Zones

Ubuntu organizes time zones using a “Region/City” format. To find the exact name of the time zone you want to switch to, you can list all available options:

timedatectl list-timezones

Because this list is extensive, you can filter the results using the grep command to find a specific region, such as America:

timedatectl list-timezones | grep America

Step 3: Set the New Time Zone

Once you have identified the correct time zone identifier from the list, use the set-timezone argument followed by your chosen zone. Note that you will need administrative privileges (sudo) to execute this change:

sudo timedatectl set-timezone America/New_York

Replace America/New_York with the specific time zone appropriate for your region.

Step 4: Verify the Changes

To confirm that the update was applied successfully, run the status command once more:

timedatectl

Check the Time zone: line in the output to ensure it matches your new selection and that the local time has adjusted accordingly.