How to Change Time Zone and Region on Mac

How to Change Time Zone and Region on Mac

When you first bought your Mac, you almost certainly set it to the time zone and region you lived in at the time. And while it’s okay if you stay in one location, problems can arise if you don’t fit into that category and move somewhere else.


Mac in a foreign city

Changing the time and region on your Mac might not be on the same list as sorting out your visa, opening a bank account, and finding a home when you move to a new country. But it’s a good idea to make it at least one of your lower priorities.

In this article, we’ll walk you through how to change the time zone and region on your Mac.

How to change your Mac region

Like changing the language on your computer, changing the time zone on your Mac doesn’t take a lot of effort. Finding the app is also pretty straightforward. All you need to do is follow the steps outlined below.

Step 1: Go to the Apple logo in the upper left corner of your screen.

Apple logo on macbook


Apple logo on macbook

2nd step: Go to System Preferences. This is the second option; you’ll find it under the About this Mac line.

Mac System Preferences drop-down list


Mac System Preferences drop-down list

Step 3: Find the Language & Region app. The icon for this is a blue flag with a white sphere in the middle.

Choose mac language and region


Choose mac language and region

Step 4: Once you’ve found Language and Region, click on it.

Step 5: On Region, which is the first section, click the blue arrows to open the drop-down menu.

Mac region change drop-down menu


Mac region change drop-down menu

Step 6: Choose the country or territory in which you are currently located.

Once you’ve followed the steps above, your Mac should update immediately. If that doesn’t happen, try restarting your device and see if that makes a difference.

How to change your Mac’s time zone

Changing the time zone on your Mac is, like changing the region, a straightforward process. Follow the steps outlined under this paragraph to achieve this.

Step 1: Go back to the Apple logo and into System Preferences again.

2nd step: Instead of selecting Language & Region, navigate to Date & Time.

Date and time mac system preferences


Date and time mac system preferences

Step 3: At the top of the window, you will see a window with two options: Date & Time and Time Zone. Select the last of them.

Step 4: At the bottom of the window you will see a padlock. Click on it.

Mac change time zone lock


Mac change time zone lock

Step 5: On the next screen, your Mac will ask you to enter your username and password. Do both.

Step 6: Click the blue Unlock button at the bottom of the window.

Step 7: Click on the part of the world for which you want to change the time zone. If you want to choose a specific city (or closest to you, you can enter it in the Nearest city 🙂 box.

Mac click on the map location


Mac click on the map location

If you travel regularly, you can save a lot of hassle by allowing your Mac to change the time zone on its own. To do this, all you need to do is check the box next to “Set time zone automatically using current location”.

Once you’re done, you can click the padlock again at the bottom of your screen.

What to do if the Mac’s time is two minutes off

In some cases, you might experience some annoyance when your Mac displays the wrong time. Fortunately, you can fix this problem with minimal stress, like trying to track your time online.

These steps will guide you through the process.

Step 1: In Date and time, click on the padlock at the bottom of the window and enter your computer’s administrative information.

Click lock to change mac time


Click lock to change mac time

2nd step: Above the clock, enter the correct time.

Mac change the time manually


Mac change the time manually

Alternatively, you can check the box labeled “Set date and time automatically”.

Change the time automatically mac


Change the time automatically mac

Step 3: Whatever your choice, click again on the padlock at the bottom of the window.

Once you have completed the above steps, your Mac should make these changes with immediate effect. So you can close System Preferences and go back to what you were doing.

Also on Guiding Tech

Taking your Mac with you is easy

Moving to another state, province or country costs enough money without adding the purchase of a new gadget. Fortunately, Macs were designed for the nomadic generation.

Changing your time zone and region takes little effort, and to avoid having to do it again, you can set your device to change automatically whenever you travel with your computer elsewhere.

Now that you’ve read these tips, why not try changing the time zone and region on your Mac for yourself?

Last updated on July 10, 2021

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