Chapter 2. Date and Time Configuration
This chapter covers setting the system date and time in Fedora, both manually and using the Network Time Protocol (
NTP), as well as setting the adequate time zone. Two methods are covered: setting the date and time using the
Date and Time configuration tool, and doing so on the command line.
2.1. Date and Time Configuration Tool
The Date and Time configuration tool allows a user to change the system date and time, to configure the time zone used by the system, and to set up the Network Time Protocol daemon to synchronize the system clock with a time server.
To start the tool, select → → from the menu and click the icon, or click the time in the panel and select Date and Time Settings from the drop-down menu.
By default, the tool only allows you to review the current settings. This is because only root is allowed to set the system date and time. To unlock the configuration tool for changes, click the Unlock button in the bottom-left corner of the window, and provide the root password when prompted.
As you can see in
Figure 2.2, “The Date and Time configuration tool”, the main window of the
Date and Time configuration tool is divided into two parts: while the left side of the window is dedicated to the time zone settings, the right part allows you to configure the date and time itself.
To change the time zone, click on the map, or select the region and city from the Region and City drop-down lists.
To change the current time of your system, either configure the system to synchronize it over the network by clicking the Network Time switch, or set it manually by clicking the up and down arrows above and below the numbers. Use the 24-Hour Time switch to enable or disable the 24-hour time format.
To change the current date of your system, select a month from the drop-down list below the time, and use the up and down arrows to choose the day and year.
The changes take effect immediately.
