Plesk PHP timezone
Set date.timezone in the domain PHP Settings rather than editing obsolete global files
In Plesk Obsidian, open the domain’s PHP Settings and set date.timezone to a valid value such as Europe/London. Apply the change to the smallest required scope and confirm the application is using that PHP handler.
How do you set the timezone for one hosted domain?
Follow the sequence and stop before any step that does not match the service shown in your UKC account.
- 1Check the application requirement
Confirm that PHP is reporting a timezone warning or that the application genuinely needs a different value.
- 2Open PHP Settings in Plesk
Select the exact domain and note its active PHP version and handler before changing anything.
- 3Set date.timezone
Enter a valid PHP timezone identifier such as Europe/London in the additional configuration field or supported setting.
- 4Apply and verify
Reload the application, check logs or a temporary phpinfo page, then remove diagnostic files when finished.
Why is a per-domain setting safer?
Plesk can run several PHP versions and handlers. The global file you edit may not control the affected site and can change other customers.
Application configuration
Some frameworks and CMS products have their own timezone setting. Use it when it represents business display time rather than PHP runtime time.
Per-domain PHP setting
Best for one subscription when PHP itself needs a default timezone.
Server-wide configuration
Reserved for authorised server administration after checking every installed PHP handler and dependent service.
Roundcube timezone
Webmail display preferences are separate from a website PHP setting. Do not edit obsolete Roundcube paths for this task.
| Example | Use |
|---|---|
| Europe/London | UK local time with daylight-saving rules |
| UTC | Stable server and log reference time |
| Invalid abbreviation | Avoid ambiguous values such as BST or GMT+1 |
Common questions
Why did changing php.ini have no effect?
The site may use another PHP version, FPM pool, handler or per-domain override. Check the active Plesk PHP settings.
Should every site use Europe/London?
Use the timezone appropriate to the application. UTC is often useful for storage and logs, with local conversion at display time.
Do I need to restart the server?
A per-domain Plesk change normally manages the required service reload. Shared customers should not restart server services.
Can I leave phpinfo online?
No. It exposes configuration details. Use it briefly for diagnosis and delete it afterwards.
Change the smallest scope
Set the timezone for the affected domain and verify it
Avoid global file edits unless you administer the complete server and understand every PHP handler.