The easiest way to keep an eye on different timezones is to add them to Ubuntu’s time and date applet – with one click you can check the time in whatever location you want.
By the end of this post you will know how to add, edit and remove timezones on the Date & Time menu in Ubuntu 12.04 and 12.10.
How to Add Timezones to the Ubuntu Clock
With a location in mind, first open System Settings. You can do this in several ways: by clicking on the ‘cog and spanner’ icon on the Launcher; through the last entry in the Date & Time menu; or via the top entry in the Power menu.
When System Settings has opened you need to scroll to the bottom and click on the tile named ‘Time & Date’:
The ‘Time & Date‘ settings pane will open. Now you need to click the ‘Clock‘ tab at the top of this pane to get access to the features that let add additional locations:
As in the screenshot above, check the box next to ‘Time in other Locations’, then click on the ‘Choose Locations…’ button.
A small window will appear that allows you to add locations. Clicking on the green ‘+’ icon at the bottom left will reveal the ‘text input’ area under the ‘Location’ heading.
In this box enter the city name of the location you wish to add.
For example, to add the UK you would enter a city name like ‘London’, ‘Birmingham’, or ‘Bristol’.
As you type a set of search results will appear. Choose the one closest to your intented location.
If the location you’re searching for doesn’t show up double check your spelling or enter an alternative location in the same country/timezone.
For example, if ‘Bristol’ doesn’t appear try ‘London’.
You can add as many cities/locations as you like. The Time and Date menu will automatically list them in ascending order; the location with the earliest time will appear at the top, the one with the latest at the bottom.
How to Remove Timezones from Ubuntu’s Clock Applet
To remove an entry first click on it so that it’s highlighted and then hit the red ‘-‘ icon to delete it.
To remove all timezones just uncheck the ‘Show Time in Other Locations’ box you enabled at the begging of this article.
How to Remove the Calendar from Ubuntu’s Clock Applet
By default Ubuntu’s Date & Time menu shows an embedded calendar. Not everyone finds this handy/useful, so you may prefer to use the smaller, minimal layout offered without it showing:
To disable the calendar in the clock applet and only see the current date, and any added timezones, uncheck the ‘Show Calendar’ option located in the ‘Clock‘ tab of the Time & Date settings pane we used earlier:
The change is applied instantly.