The passage explains how to set the correct time zone on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS using both a command‑line method with timedatectl and the graphical Settings app. It walks through listing available zones, applying the desired one (e.g., “America/New_York”), confirming the change, and notes that no reboot is needed because the system updates /etc/localtime. The GUI instructions cover disabling automatic zone detection, selecting a city from the map or dropdown, and achieving the same result behind the scenes. Finally, it mentions optionally syncing the hardware clock with hwclock to keep BIOS time aligned, especially for dual‑boot setups.

How to Change Timezone on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

You need the right zone so scheduled jobs fire at the proper hour and logs show sensible timestamps. This guide shows two ways to fix it – the quick terminal method and the point‑and‑click UI. By the end you’ll have your clock saying exactly what you expect.

Fixing the timezone from the command line

1. Open a terminal. You’ll be using timedatectl, Ubuntu’s built‑in time manager.

2. Run timedatectl list-timezones | grep -i <your_city> to see the exact name. I usually pipe it through grep because the full list is huge and scrolling feels like a waste of time.

3. Pick the line that matches – for example “America/New_York”. Then set it with:

   sudo timedatectl set-timezone America/New_York
   

   The sudo is required because changing the system clock touches /etc/localtime.

4. Verify with timedatectl status. You should see “Time zone: America/New_York (EDT, -0400)” and a green “System clock synchronized” if NTP is active.

Why this works: timedatectl updates the symbolic link /etc/localtime to point at the proper zone file in /usr/share/zoneinfo. All services that rely on the system clock pick up the new value instantly, no reboot needed.

Real‑world note: I’ve seen this happen after a fresh install where the installer left the machine on UTC. Cron jobs that were supposed to run at 2 am local time suddenly fired at 7 pm – not fun for anyone.

Changing the timezone with the graphical Settings app

1. Click the system menu in the top‑right corner and select Settings.
2. In the left pane choose Date & Time. If “Automatic Time Zone” is toggled on, turn it off – otherwise you can’t pick a manual zone.
3. Click the map or the dropdown that appears under “Time Zone”. Scroll or type your city name; Ubuntu will suggest matches. Select the correct entry and close the window.

The GUI does exactly what timedatectl does behind the scenes, but it’s handy if you’re already fiddling with other display options.

Updating hardware clock (optional)

If you run dual‑boot or rely on BIOS time being correct, sync the hardware clock to the new system time:

sudo hwclock --systohc

This writes the current Linux time back to the CMOS battery. Skipping this step can cause a drift after a power loss, especially on older machines.

That’s it – your Ubuntu 22.04 box should now be speaking the right timezone.