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Read Kernel Logs with Readable Timestamps (dmesg -T)

dmesg prints kernel messages with seconds since boot by default; -T converts them to real dates and times.

LinuxlogskerneldmesgLow risk
Run `dmesg -T` to print kernel messages with human-readable timestamps.

01Command

Command
$ dmesg -T

02What it does

This is the fastest way to spot USB resets, disk errors, OOM killer events, and network driver problems. Add `-w` to follow new messages live like tail -f, `-l err` to show only error-level lines, or `-H` for a pager-friendly format with relative times. Note that the -T timestamps are decoded locally and can be slightly off if the clock was adjusted.

03Risk

RiskLow risk

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

  • dmesg(1) - Linux manual page
    Ubuntu Manpages · technical · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: The -T, --ctime option decodes timestamps into a human-readable format, and -w (--follow) waits for new kernel messages.

Last verified: 2026-09-17 · Category: System & Settings

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