---
name: "lutimes"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "man-pages"
version: "6.19-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/futimes/3"
---

# lutimes(3)

change file timestamps

Part of [futimes(3)](/futimes/3.md).

## NAME

futimes, lutimes - change file timestamps

## LIBRARY

Standard C library (*libc*, *-lc*)

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <sys/time.h>
```

**int futimes(int** *fd***, const struct timeval** *tv***\[2\]);** **int lutimes(const char \****path***, const struct timeval** *tv***\[2\]);**

Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see [**feature\_test\_macros**(7)](/feature_test_macros/7.md)):

**futimes**(), **lutimes**():

```
    Since glibc 2.19:
        _DEFAULT_SOURCE
    glibc 2.19 and earlier:
        _BSD_SOURCE
```

## DESCRIPTION

**futimes**() changes the access and modification times of a file in the same way as [**utimes**(2)](/utimes/2.md), with the difference that the file whose timestamps are to be changed is specified via a file descriptor, *fd*, rather than via a pathname.

**lutimes**() changes the access and modification times of a file in the same way as [**utimes**(2)](/utimes/2.md), with the difference that if *path* refers to a symbolic link, then the link is not dereferenced: instead, the timestamps of the symbolic link are changed.

## RETURN VALUE

On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned, and *errno* is set to indicate the error.

## ERRORS

Errors are as for [**utimes**(2)](/utimes/2.md), with the following additions for **futimes**():

- **EBADF**

  *fd* is not a valid file descriptor.

- **ENOSYS**

  The */proc* filesystem could not be accessed.

The following additional error may occur for **lutimes**():

- **ENOSYS**

  The kernel does not support this call; Linux 2.6.22 or later is required.

## ATTRIBUTES

For an explanation of the terms used in this section, see [**attributes**(7)](/attributes/7.md).

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Interface** | **Attribute** | **Value** |
| **futimes**(), **lutimes**() | Thread safety | MT-Safe |

## STANDARDS

Linux, BSD.

## HISTORY

- **futimes**()

  glibc 2.3.

- **lutimes**()

  glibc 2.6.

## NOTES

**lutimes**() is implemented using the [**utimensat**(2)](/utimensat/2.md) system call.

## SEE ALSO

[**utime**(2)](/utime/2.md), [**utimensat**(2)](/utimensat/2.md), [**symlink**(7)](/symlink/7.md)