How Can I Set the Date and Time on Linux?

Use the date command to print the current date and time. If you add the -u flag, the results will be for the Greenwich mean time zone. And if you log in as a superuser, you can even change the date or time with the -s flag. Now, that's power!

Here are some examples:

date Print the date and time.
Sat Nov 2 20:09:43 EST 1996
date -u Print the GMT date and time.
Sun Nov 3 01:09:45 GMT 1996
date -s 0503 Set the clock to 5:03 A.M.

For more information on the date command, see the date manual.

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Comments - most recent first (Please feel free to answer questions posted by others!) GUPTHA     (18 Oct 2012, 18:11) hai sir to apply jobs best websites send to my mail in windows7 how to use vmware sandeep kumar     (05 Sep 2012, 09:22) hi sir, i m student of b.tech final .i want learn linux shell scripting . so kindelly send me Linux tutorial who help me during learning nikhil     (18 Mar 2012, 06:23) i want to know about the process of the booting nd ways of changing the process of booting ? Majed     (08 Aug 2011, 10:38) @Mauro you probably have a problem with the time zone in gentoo i checked the file /etc/conf.d/clock and changed the time zone and something to do with the hardware clock Majed     (08 Aug 2011, 09:06) this string should be included as example : date -s "8 AUG 2011 16:06:00" Majed     (08 Aug 2011, 08:59) i had my time wrong on gentoo so thanks for the tip on how to change time because i didn't find the time to lookup the command on the internet. However, you should include in the example of how to change date too and from +3 to +2, because the help doesn't provide information on how to write the string. Mauro     (01 Feb 2011, 12:18) hi, when i installed linux (debian) i made a mistake setting the utc time. now even if set the utc time with date -u -s <time>, at the next reboot the time returns to the older. i also tried with hwclock but i get a time-out error and dpkg-reconfigure tzdata only reconfigure local time. therefore every time i boot i have to change manually the time. how i can definitely fix this problem with no linux reinstallation? thks jim     (24 Aug 2010, 02:37) i want to learn do i need more software? TooCool     (01 Aug 2010, 02:43) This is really great....thnx a ton Thanakorn     (05 May 2010, 02:49) very good knowledge I welcome your comments. However... I am puzzled by many people who say "Please send me the Linux tutorial." This website *is* your Linux Tutorial! Read everything here, learn all you can, ask questions if you like. But don't ask me to send what you already have. :-) NO SPAM! If you post garbage, it will be deleted, and you will be banned. *Name: Email: Notify me about new comments on this page Hide my email *Text:

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