---
name: "utime"
section: "3"
platform: "macos"
package: "Libc"
version: "1752.120.2"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/utime/3"
---

# utime(3)

set file times

## NAME

**utime** – set file times

## LIBRARY

Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<utime.h\>**

*int*\

**utime**(*const char \*path*, *const struct utimbuf \*times*);

## DESCRIPTION

This interface is obsoleted by [utimes(2)](/utimes/2.md).

The **utime**() function sets the access and modification times of the named file, based on the *actime* and *modtime* fields of the *struct utimbuf* pointed at by *times*.

If the times are specified (the *times* argument is non-NULL), the caller must be the owner of the file or be the super-user.

If the times are not specified (the *times* argument is NULL), the caller must be the owner of the file, have permission to write the file, or be the super-user.

## ERRORS

The **utime**() function may fail and set *errno* for any of the errors specified for the library function [utimes(2)](/utimes/2.md).

## SEE ALSO

[stat(2)](/stat/2.md), [utimes(2)](/utimes/2.md)

## STANDARDS

The **utime**() function conforms to IEEE Std 1003.1-1988 (“POSIX.1”).

## HISTORY

A **utime**() function appeared in Version 7 AT&T UNIX.