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Configure Locale, Timezone, and Keyboard Layout with raspi-config

Learn how to use raspi-config Internationalisation Options to configure Raspberry Pi OS locale, timezone, and keyboard layout settings.

Internationalisation Options in raspi-config provides one place to configure regional and input settings on Raspberry Pi OS. You can change the system locale, timezone, and keyboard layout without editing configuration files manually.

These settings control different parts of the system:

Locale: language and regional conventions such as character encoding, dates, numbers, currency, and sorting.
Timezone: the regional rules used to display local time and handle daylight-saving changes where applicable.
Keyboard layout: the mapping between physical keys and the characters or symbols produced by those keys.

Open Internationalisation Options

Open a terminal and start the Raspberry Pi OS configuration utility:

sudo raspi-config

In the text-based menu, select Internationalisation Options, then press Enter. Choose one of the available configuration items from the submenu.

The wizard uses basic keyboard navigation. Use the arrow keys to move between choices, Tab to move between controls when necessary, Space to select checkboxes, and Enter to confirm a choice. Read each screen carefully because some options require a second selection after the first one.

Menu option	What it configures	Typical reason to change it	How to verify
Change Locale	Language and regional conventions used by the system	Use a different language, country format, encoding, or sorting convention	Check language and formatting in a new terminal or desktop session
Change Timezone	The geographic time rule set used for local time	The displayed clock or time-based services use the wrong region	Check the displayed local time and timestamps
Change Keyboard Layout	Keyboard model, regional key mapping, modifiers, and related behavior	Printed keys do not produce the expected characters	Type punctuation, shifted symbols, and special characters in a terminal

Change the Locale

A locale is an identifier containing language and regional conventions. It can affect displayed language, character encoding, date formatting, number formatting, currency conventions, and sorting behavior.

Select Internationalisation Options > Change Locale. The wizard displays a list of locale definitions. Select one or more locales to generate by moving to an entry and pressing Space. Select a locale appropriate for both your language and region. For example, language variants can use different date, number, or currency conventions even when they share the same primary language.

Locale generation is the process of enabling and preparing the selected locale definitions so the operating system can use them. After choosing the definitions to generate, confirm the selection and wait while the system prepares them.

The wizard then asks for the default locale. This is the locale used as the standard environment setting for the system. Choose the generated locale that should apply by default, confirm it, and allow the configuration to finish.

Example: selecting local regional formats

A user who wants dates, numeric separators, currency formatting, and character handling to follow local conventions selects the locale matching their language and country, generates it, and then chooses it as the default locale.

Change the Timezone

A timezone is a regional set of time rules used to convert system time into local time. It can include daylight-saving behavior where applicable.

Select Internationalisation Options > Change Timezone. The wizard normally asks for two selections:

Choose the geographic region or continent.
Choose the appropriate city or regional timezone entry.

The timezone should normally match the Raspberry Pi's physical location. If the Pi is operated remotely or represents another location, select the timezone that its services and users are intended to use.

A correct timezone makes the system clock present local time correctly. It also affects timestamps in logs, scheduled tasks, file metadata, databases, and other time-aware software. A clock can show a plausible date while still being several hours wrong when the timezone is incorrect.

Example: correcting a wrong local hour

If a Raspberry Pi shows the correct date but the wrong local hour, reopen Change Timezone, select the correct geographic region, then select its city or regional entry. Confirm the displayed time after the wizard completes.

Change the Keyboard Layout

A keyboard layout maps physical key presses to letters, punctuation, and symbols expected by the operating system. The layout is separate from the physical keyboard: a keyboard can have one hardware shape while the operating system is configured for a different regional mapping.

Select Internationalisation Options > Change Keyboard Layout. The wizard guides you through several decisions.

Select a keyboard model. Choose the model that best describes the hardware arrangement. If the exact model is not listed, choose a suitable generic keyboard model.
Select the keyboard layout. Choose the language- or region-specific layout matching the labels and physical arrangement of the keyboard.
Configure an AltGr-equivalent key if needed. AltGr is commonly used to type additional characters such as accented letters or currency symbols. If the keyboard lacks a dedicated AltGr key, choose the modifier behavior that should act as its equivalent, or keep the default if no alternative is required.
Choose a Compose key if needed. A Compose key allows character sequences to produce additional characters. Select a convenient key when you need this feature, or choose no Compose key when it is unnecessary.
Choose the Ctrl+Alt+Backspace behavior. This option controls whether Ctrl+Alt+Backspace can terminate the X server, the graphical display system used by traditional Linux desktop environments. Enable it only if you specifically want that shortcut available.

The correct layout is particularly important for symbols used in passwords, shell commands, programming, file paths, and configuration files. A layout mismatch can make a key appear faulty when the operating system is simply interpreting it differently.

Configuration choice	When to use it	Expected result
Specific keyboard model	The exact hardware model or a close match is listed	The wizard applies model-compatible key behavior
Generic keyboard model	The exact hardware model is missing	A broadly compatible model is used before choosing the regional layout
Regional keyboard layout	The keyboard uses UK, German, French, or another regional arrangement	Characters and punctuation match the physical key labels
AltGr key selection	The keyboard needs access to additional characters or lacks a dedicated AltGr key	The chosen modifier acts as an AltGr-equivalent, when supported
Compose key selection	You want to enter special characters with key sequences	The selected key begins Compose sequences
Ctrl+Alt+Backspace behavior	You need to control whether the shortcut can terminate the graphical X server	The shortcut is enabled or disabled according to the selected option

Example: using a non-US keyboard

A user with a UK, German, French, or other regional keyboard selects the closest keyboard model and then the matching regional layout. They should test punctuation and shifted symbols before relying on the keyboard for passwords or command entry.

Verify the Configuration

Verification helps identify a wrong selection before it causes problems in daily use.

Check the time: Confirm that the displayed local time matches the Raspberry Pi's operating location. Pay attention to the hour, date, and daylight-saving status where relevant.
Test the keyboard: Type representative punctuation, shifted characters, numbers, symbols, and region-specific characters in a text editor or terminal. Check keys commonly used in passwords, shell commands, and programming.
Check the locale: Review language and formatting in both the desktop and terminal. Test dates, decimal separators, currency, character input, and sorting if these conventions matter to your work.

Some applications read regional settings only when they start. If an application still shows the old language or formatting, start a new login session or reboot the Raspberry Pi, then test again.

Troubleshooting

The desired keyboard model is missing

The wizard may not list every hardware model. Select an appropriate generic keyboard model, then choose the layout matching the keyboard's language or region.

Symbols do not match the printed keys

The selected layout probably does not match the physical keyboard. Reopen Change Keyboard Layout, select the correct regional layout, and test punctuation, shifted keys, and special characters.

A needed special character cannot be typed

Confirm the layout first. If the character is not available on the primary key layer, configure the appropriate AltGr behavior or a Compose key, then test the character sequence again.

The displayed system time is incorrect

If the date is close but the local hour is wrong, the timezone may be set to another region. Use Change Timezone to select the correct geographic region and city or regional entry.

Applications still use the old locale

The current login session may not have loaded the new default locale. Start a new session or reboot, then verify the application and terminal behavior again.

Ctrl+Alt+Backspace exits the desktop

The option to terminate the X server with that key combination is enabled. Revisit keyboard layout configuration and disable that behavior if you do not want the shortcut to terminate the graphical session.

Quick Reference

sudo raspi-config
# Select: Internationalisation Options
# Then choose one of:
#   Change Locale
#   Change Timezone
#   Change Keyboard Layout

For a setup walkthrough, return to Internationalisation Options and use the relevant wizard section for the setting you need to change.