diff --git a/.changeset/22136-settings-timezone-help-plain.md b/.changeset/22136-settings-timezone-help-plain.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0dbc81ea79a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/22136-settings-timezone-help-plain.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+"@objectstack/service-settings": patch
+---
+
+fix(service-settings): the Default timezone help speaks to administrators, not in formula-function names
+
+Clause-②: no
+
+The help under Settings → Localization → Default timezone (also shown in the first-run "set the workspace timezone" prompt) read "IANA zone for today()/daysFromNow, analytics date buckets, and rendered datetimes." It now says what the setting does: "Decides what "today" means in formulas, how reports group dates, and how dates and times are shown. Accepts any IANA time zone name (e.g. Europe/Paris)." The same meaning ships in every built-in locale (en, zh-CN, ja-JP, es-ES) and in the manifest's own `description`, which `GET /api/settings/localization` serves and the console falls back to.
+
+Wording only: the `timezone` key, its default (`UTC`), its accepted values (any IANA zone) and what it drives are unchanged.
diff --git a/packages/services/service-settings/src/localization-timezone-help.pin.test.ts b/packages/services/service-settings/src/localization-timezone-help.pin.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ed8d1573598
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/services/service-settings/src/localization-timezone-help.pin.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 ObjectStack. Licensed under the Apache-2.0 license.
+
+/**
+ * The Default timezone help, as the platform SERVES it, is written for an
+ * administrator: in every locale it names no formula-function identifier.
+ *
+ * An administrator meets this text under the timezone field in Settings →
+ * Localization and in the first-run "set the workspace timezone" prompt. The
+ * console renders `settings.localization.keys.timezone.help` from the bundle
+ * this plugin loads into the i18n service, and falls back to the manifest's
+ * `description` (served by `GET /api/settings/localization`) for a locale
+ * with no entry. So this pin reads those two served layers, never the source
+ * files:
+ *
+ *   1. what `SettingsServicePlugin` hands `i18n.loadTranslations` at
+ *      `kernel:ready`, per locale, on a real `LiteKernel` boot;
+ *   2. the manifest as the settings route answers it, from the service that
+ *      boot registered.
+ *
+ * "Every locale" is whatever the plugin loads, so a locale added later is held
+ * to this without an edit here; the floor below only stops the loop from
+ * passing over nothing.
+ */
+
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeAll, afterAll, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { LiteKernel } from '@objectstack/core';
+import type { Plugin, PluginContext } from '@objectstack/core';
+import type { IHttpServer, IHttpRequest, IHttpResponse, RouteHandler } from '@objectstack/spec/contracts';
+import { SettingsServicePlugin } from './settings-service-plugin.js';
+import { SettingsService } from './settings-service.js';
+import { registerSettingsRoutes } from './settings-routes.js';
+
+const NAMESPACE = 'localization';
+const KEY = 'timezone';
+
+/** The locales the service ships today — a floor, not the population. */
+const SHIPPED_LOCALES = ['en', 'zh-CN', 'ja-JP', 'es-ES'];
+
+/**
+ * A function identifier as a formula writes it: a name directly followed by
+ * its opening parenthesis (`today(`), or a lowerCamelCase name (`daysFromNow`).
+ * Prose never needs either; a parenthetical after a space (`name (e.g. …)`)
+ * is not a call and does not match.
+ */
+const CALL_SHAPE = /[A-Za-z_$][A-Za-z0-9_$]*\(/;
+const LOWER_CAMEL = /\b[a-z][a-z0-9]*[A-Z][A-Za-z0-9]*\b/;
+
+function functionIdentifiersIn(text: string): string[] {
+  const found: string[] = [];
+  const call = text.match(CALL_SHAPE);
+  if (call) found.push(call[0]);
+  const camel = text.match(LOWER_CAMEL);
+  if (camel) found.push(camel[0]);
+  return found;
+}
+
+/** Registers an `i18n` service that records every bundle it is handed. */
+class I18nCapturePlugin implements Plugin {
+  name = 'test.i18n-capture';
+  version = '0.0.0';
+  readonly loaded = new Map<string, Record<string, any>>();
+  async init(ctx: PluginContext): Promise<void> {
+    ctx.registerService('i18n', {
+      loadTranslations: (locale: string, data: Record<string, any>) => {
+        this.loaded.set(locale, data);
+      },
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+class MockHttp implements IHttpServer {
+  routes = new Map<string, RouteHandler>();
+  get(path: string, h: RouteHandler) { this.routes.set(`GET ${path}`, h); return this as any; }
+  post(path: string, h: RouteHandler) { this.routes.set(`POST ${path}`, h); return this as any; }
+  put(path: string, h: RouteHandler) { this.routes.set(`PUT ${path}`, h); return this as any; }
+  delete(path: string, h: RouteHandler) { this.routes.set(`DELETE ${path}`, h); return this as any; }
+  patch(path: string, h: RouteHandler) { this.routes.set(`PATCH ${path}`, h); return this as any; }
+  use() { return this as any; }
+  listen() { return Promise.resolve(); }
+  close() { return Promise.resolve(); }
+  getInstance() { return null; }
+}
+
+let kernel: LiteKernel;
+let capture: I18nCapturePlugin;
+let servedDescription: unknown;
+
+beforeAll(async () => {
+  capture = new I18nCapturePlugin();
+  kernel = new LiteKernel({ logger: { level: 'error' } as never });
+  // The plugin's own defaults: the bundled manifests and translations, exactly
+  // as a host that mounts it without options serves them.
+  kernel.use(capture);
+  kernel.use(new SettingsServicePlugin({ registerRoutes: false, env: {} }));
+  await kernel.bootstrap();
+
+  // The route the console's Localization page and the prompt read, mounted on
+  // the service that boot registered, for an administrator holding the
+  // namespace's read capability.
+  const http = new MockHttp();
+  registerSettingsRoutes(http, kernel.getService<SettingsService>('settings'), {
+    contextFromRequest: () => ({ enforced: true, permissions: ['setup.access'] }),
+  });
+  const state: { status: number; body?: any } = { status: 200 };
+  const res = {
+    json: vi.fn((data: unknown) => { state.body = data; }),
+    send: vi.fn(),
+    status: vi.fn((code: number) => { state.status = code; return res; }),
+    header: vi.fn(() => res),
+  } as unknown as IHttpResponse;
+  await http.routes.get('GET /api/settings/:namespace')!(
+    { params: { namespace: NAMESPACE }, query: {}, headers: {}, method: 'GET', path: `/api/settings/${NAMESPACE}` } as IHttpRequest,
+    res,
+  );
+  expect(state.status).toBe(200);
+  const specifiers = (state.body?.data?.manifest?.specifiers ?? []) as Array<{ key?: string; description?: unknown }>;
+  servedDescription = specifiers.find((s) => s.key === KEY)?.description;
+});
+
+afterAll(async () => {
+  await kernel?.shutdown();
+});
+
+describe('the served Default timezone help names no function identifier', () => {
+  it('the detector flags the developer wording it exists to keep out', () => {
+    // Without this a detector that matches nothing passes every case below.
+    expect(functionIdentifiersIn('IANA zone for today()/daysFromNow, analytics date buckets.'))
+      .toEqual(['today(', 'daysFromNow']);
+  });
+
+  it('the plugin loads a bundle for every shipped locale', () => {
+    expect([...capture.loaded.keys()]).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining(SHIPPED_LOCALES));
+  });
+
+  it('the manifest description served by GET /api/settings/localization', () => {
+    expect(typeof servedDescription).toBe('string');
+    expect((servedDescription as string).trim()).not.toBe('');
+    expect(functionIdentifiersIn(servedDescription as string)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('the translated help, in every locale the plugin loads', () => {
+    expect(capture.loaded.size).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(SHIPPED_LOCALES.length);
+    for (const [locale, bundle] of capture.loaded) {
+      const help = bundle?.settings?.[NAMESPACE]?.keys?.[KEY]?.help;
+      // Present in every locale: a dropped entry would fall back to the
+      // manifest literal and turn this loop into a pass over nothing.
+      expect(typeof help, `${locale}: settings.${NAMESPACE}.keys.${KEY}.help`).toBe('string');
+      expect(functionIdentifiersIn(help), `${locale}: ${help}`).toEqual([]);
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/services/service-settings/src/manifests/localization.manifest.ts b/packages/services/service-settings/src/manifests/localization.manifest.ts
index e8f3039af91..e9af7ed9ade 100644
--- a/packages/services/service-settings/src/manifests/localization.manifest.ts
+++ b/packages/services/service-settings/src/manifests/localization.manifest.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,11 @@ export const localizationSettingsManifest: SettingsManifest = {
     { type: 'group', id: 'region', label: 'Region', required: false },
     {
       type: 'select', key: 'timezone', label: 'Default timezone', required: false, default: 'UTC',
-      description: 'IANA zone used to resolve today()/daysFromNow, analytics date buckets, and rendered datetimes.',
+      // Written for the administrator who reads it under the field (Settings →
+      // Localization and the first-run timezone prompt), so it names effects,
+      // not formula functions; `localization-timezone-help.pin.test.ts` holds
+      // every served locale to that.
+      description: 'Decides what "today" means in formulas, how reports group dates, and how dates and times are shown. Accepts any IANA time zone name (e.g. Europe/Paris).',
       // The description has always promised the IANA domain; since #5712 the
       // declaration matches it: any valid IANA zone is accepted on the write
       // and env doors, and the curated options below are a UI convenience
diff --git a/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/en.ts b/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/en.ts
index 0b0918e9ece..f6c8feddcba 100644
--- a/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/en.ts
+++ b/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/en.ts
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ export const en: PlatformTranslationData = {
         finance: { title: 'Finance' },
       },
       keys: {
-        timezone: { label: 'Default timezone', help: 'IANA zone for today()/daysFromNow, analytics date buckets, and rendered datetimes.' },
+        timezone: { label: 'Default timezone', help: 'Decides what "today" means in formulas, how reports group dates, and how dates and times are shown. Accepts any IANA time zone name (e.g. Europe/Paris).' },
         locale: { label: 'Default language', help: 'BCP-47 locale for message catalogs and number/date formatting.' },
         default_country: { label: 'Default country', help: 'ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code (e.g. US, GB, CN).' },
         currency: { label: 'Default currency' },
diff --git a/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/es-ES.ts b/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/es-ES.ts
index 36fc24f007e..541893918b8 100644
--- a/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/es-ES.ts
+++ b/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/es-ES.ts
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ export const esES: PlatformTranslationData = {
         finance: { title: 'Finanzas' },
       },
       keys: {
-        timezone: { label: 'Zona horaria predeterminada', help: 'Zona IANA usada para resolver today()/daysFromNow, los buckets de fecha de analítica y las fechas/horas renderizadas.' },
+        timezone: { label: 'Zona horaria predeterminada', help: 'Determina qué significa «hoy» en las fórmulas, cómo agrupan las fechas los informes y cómo se muestran las fechas y horas. Acepta cualquier nombre de zona horaria IANA (p. ej. Europe/Madrid).' },
         locale: { label: 'Idioma predeterminado', help: 'Configuración regional BCP-47 para los catálogos de mensajes y el formato de números/fechas.' },
         default_country: { label: 'País predeterminado', help: 'Código ISO 3166-1 alfa-2 (p. ej. US, GB, CN). Se usa para los valores por defecto de dirección y teléfono.' },
         currency: { label: 'Moneda predeterminada', help: 'Código ISO 4217 aplicado cuando un campo de moneda no indica la suya.' },
diff --git a/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/ja-JP.ts b/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/ja-JP.ts
index 05f68412ae7..a3fc0989896 100644
--- a/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/ja-JP.ts
+++ b/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/ja-JP.ts
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ export const jaJP: PlatformTranslationData = {
         finance: { title: '財務' },
       },
       keys: {
-        timezone: { label: '既定のタイムゾーン', help: 'today()/daysFromNow の解決、分析の日付バケット、日時レンダリングに使う IANA タイムゾーン。' },
+        timezone: { label: '既定のタイムゾーン', help: '数式での「今日」がどの日か、レポートでの日付のまとめ方、日付と時刻の表示方法を決めます。任意の IANA タイムゾーン名（例:Asia/Tokyo）を指定できます。' },
         locale: { label: '既定の言語', help: 'メッセージカタログと数値/日付フォーマットに使う BCP-47 ロケール。' },
         default_country: { label: '既定の国', help: 'ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 コード（例:US、GB、CN）。住所と電話の既定に使用します。' },
         currency: { label: '既定の通貨', help: '通貨フィールドが独自の通貨を指定しない場合に適用される ISO 4217 コード。' },
diff --git a/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/zh-CN.ts b/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/zh-CN.ts
index 8a4a47f311d..0ffa332cfde 100644
--- a/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/zh-CN.ts
+++ b/packages/services/service-settings/src/translations/zh-CN.ts
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ export const zhCN: PlatformTranslationData = {
       keys: {
         timezone: {
           label: '默认时区',
-          help: '用于 today()/daysFromNow、分析日期分桶和 datetime 渲染的 IANA 时区。',
+          help: '决定公式中的"今天"是哪一天、报表如何按日期分组,以及日期和时间如何显示。可填写任意 IANA 时区名称(如 Asia/Shanghai)。',
           options: {
             UTC: 'UTC',
             'America/Los_Angeles': '(UTC−08/−07) 洛杉矶',