System Preferences - Date and Time

The Date & Time preferences has three different parts for setting the system time and setting different options for configuring the clock.

To manually set the date and time

Click on the Date & Time tab.

Make sure to uncheck the Set Date and Time automatically

To change the date you can either click on the day in the calendar

Or select the part of the date you wish to change and click on the either the up or down arrows.

To change the time, click the part of the time that you wish to change and click on either the up or down arrow.

You cannot manually change the time if you check Set Date & Time automatically. This requires an internet connection and will connect to the server you chose to synchronize your computer with the correct time.

To set the time zone

Click on the time Zone Tab

Click on your approximate location in the map. In the drop down box below select your area. You should set your time zone appropriately as this information is used when your computer connects to a time server if you set your computer to automatically set the date & time.

To set the clock options

Click on Clock tab

To show the time, click on the Show the date and time check box.
Select a view in

• Menu Bar puts the clock in the menu bar
  
• Window puts the clock in a floating window
  

Select a view as

• Digital displays the date and time as numbers and letters
  
• Analog displays the date and time as it would appear on an analog clock
  

Customize the clock
Please note that these features only work if you have the view set to digital
Display time with seconds
Show AM/PM after the time
Show the day of the week
Flash the time separators
Use a 24 hour clock


If you chose to view the clock in a window, you can set the transperancy

You can also have the computer announce the time at certain intervals if you wish. First you must turn on the Announce the time check box and then chose a frequency from the pop up box.