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How do I change my Windows Vista PC's time zone?

Cell phones generally adjust their clocks automatically when you travel and physically move them into a new time zone. (The cell phones receive their location information from the closest cell towers operated by that phone company.) Most laptops, however, are not "aware" of their geographic location, and so if you travel with one, you have to set the time zone yourself. Let's have a look...


Dave's Answer:

NOTE: You do not need to change the computer time zone or change the computer clock for time changes due to Daylight Savings Time. As long as you have the correct time zone and location specified for your computer, Windows will change the clock automatically when Daylight Savings Time begins and ends. Windows is also "aware" that some regions within time zones observe Daylight Savings Time during different dates, or not at all.

For example, if you set your Windows time zone to "Mountain Time (UTC-7:00)", Windows will adjust the clock at the beginning and end of Daylight Savings Time. However, if you set your Windows time zone to "Arizona (UTC-7:00)", Windows will not adjust the clock during Daylight Savings Time, since DST is not observed in Arizona.

To change the time zone, find the date and time displayed on your Windows screen, typically in the lower-right corner:

clock (windows vista set timezone)

When this window opens, click on "Change date and time settings":

calendar and clock (windows vista set timezone)

When the "Date and Time" dialog box opens, click "Change Time Zone":

date and time (windows vista set timezone)

That will give you a large list of different timezones to choose from:

time zone drop down (windows vista set timezone)

Note that some time zones for countries are listed only by their major city; for example to select the time zone for the country of Uruguay, pick "(UTC-03:00) Montevideo" (Montevideo being the capital of Uruguay).

That's all that's needed! Save travels, and don't forget to change your time zone back again when you come home ;-)

Contributing writer Bennett Haselton is an Internet censorship / filtering expert who runs the website Peacefire.org about Internet civil rights for minors and Circumventor.com about global Internet censorship.


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Categorized: Windows PC Help   (Article 10051, Written by )
Tagged: calendars, microsoft windows vista, time zones, timezones
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Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!
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