Owners of modern smartphones based on Android often encounter an unexpected visual artifact: two watch faces are displayed on the lock screen or in the notification shade. This can be confusing, especially if the clocks show different times or take up valuable display space. The reason lies not in the breakdown, but in the peculiarities of the work of system widgets and third-party themes.
Clock duplication usually occurs after updating the firmware, installing a new theme from Google Play or accidentally activating the “Second Clock” function in the interface settings. The system tries to combine a standard time widget with a custom element from the shell manufacturer, for example MIUI, One UI or ColorOS. To return the screen to its usual appearance, you need to sequentially check several sections of the configuration.
In this guide, we will analyze all the possible reasons for the appearance of double clocks and provide step-by-step guide for eliminating them. You will learn how to manage system widgets, disable unnecessary elements in the Always-On Screen mode, and adjust theme settings without losing device functionality.
Reasons for duplicate watch faces
The first step in solving the problem is to understand its origin. Most often, a conflict arises between standard widget the operating system and an additional module introduced by the smartphone manufacturer. Android skins, such as Xiaomi's MIUI or Samsung's One UI, often have their own clock implementations that can overlay the system ones.
Another common reason is the installation of third-party themes. Theme developers often include unique clock faces in their packages that do not disable the standard clock, but simply draw their own on top of it. This leads to graphics overlay.
It is also worth considering the impact of widgets on the desktop. Some users accidentally drag the clock widget to the home screen or notification area, thinking that it is just a shortcut, when it activates the permanent display of the time in this area.
⚠️ Attention: If the double clock appeared immediately after a system update, do not rush to reset the settings to factory settings. Often this is a temporary interface cache bug, which can be solved by simply rebooting or clearing the launcher cache.
Setting the lock screen and Always On Display
The most noticeable duplication occurs on the lock screen and in mode Always On Display (AOD). In this mode, the phone continues to show the time and notifications even when the display is turned off to save power. The settings of these elements are often separated into different menus.
First, you need to go to the main settings of the device. Find the section responsible for the appearance of the locked screen. Depending on the smartphone model, the path may differ, but the logic remains the same: you need to disable one of the time display sources.
If you have AOD mode enabled, check its style. Many manufacturers offer several display options: digital clock, analog, minimalist. Choosing a new style often overwrites conflicting settings and removes the extra dial.
Pay attention to the “Wallpaper Magazine” or “Wallpaper Carousel” settings. These services automatically change your screensaver and may force their own time widgets to turn on, ignoring your preferences. Disabling this feature often solves the problem.
Use a dark wallpaper for the lock screen - on them, the duplicate translucent clock often becomes less noticeable until you find a setting to disable it completely.
Managing system widgets and themes
If the problem is observed on the desktop or in the notification shade, the culprit is most often specific widget or active topic. The standard Android launcher allows you to flexibly customize the screen grid and place controls.
Try long-pressing the area with the double clock. If an edit menu or a cross to delete appears, then it is a widget. Remove it and check if there is a second copy left. If the clock has disappeared completely, add a standard time widget from the widget menu manually.
In the case of themes, the situation is more complicated. Resetting the theme to the standard one (“Classic” or “Default”) is the fastest way to diagnose. If after changing the theme the double clock disappeared, then the problem lay in the third-party design code.
Some launchers, for example Nova Launcher or Lawnchair, have their own grid and widget settings that may conflict with the system ones. Check the launcher settings for enabled options for displaying time in the dock bar or status bar.
☑️ Diagnostics of widgets
Specific settings for different Android shells
Different manufacturers implement the interface differently, so the paths to the settings may radically different. Below is a table with approximate paths for popular skins so that you can quickly find the item you need.
| Shell / Brand | Settings section | Option to disable |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS) | Wallpaper and personalization | Second clock / Lock clock style |
| Samsung (One UI) | Wallpaper and style | Clock on the lock screen |
| Realme / OPPO (ColorOS) | Personalization | Lock screen style |
| Pure Android (Pixel) | Lock screen | Clock style (switch) |
On devices Xiaomi the “Second Clock” function is often found, which allows you to display the time of a second time zone. It is activated separately in the lock screen settings. If you do not need this feature, simply turn the switch to the inactive position.
Users Samsung may experience clock overlap when using Cinema or Focus modes. These modes change the interface and can duplicate time controls for user convenience in specific scenarios.
⚠️ Attention: Interfaces are updated with each version of Android. If you do not find the exact name of the item, look for synonyms: “Style”, “Design”, “Personalization” or “Lock screen”.
Hidden settings in the engineering menu
In some cases, access to advanced watch settings can be obtained through the engineering menu (code ##3646633## for MediaTek), but we do not recommend changing the parameters there without deep knowledge, as this may disrupt the operation of the system.
Time synchronization and time zones
Sometimes the “second clock” is not a visual bug, but a real display of the time of another time zone. This is useful for travelers, but interferes with everyday life if configured accidentally. Check your date and time settings.
Make sure that the “Use network time” or “Automatic time adjustment” option is enabled. This ensures that the phone gets the exact time from your cellular provider, eliminating desync, which can be perceived as a display error.
If you use the World Clock widget, it may show another city's time next to your local one. Remove this widget if you don't need it. Also check your time roaming settings if you have recently changed your region.
It is important to distinguish between the system time and the time displayed in applications. Some weather or calendar applications have their own clock widgets that do not depend on the Android system settings.
Automatic time synchronization over the network is the best way to avoid out of sync between the system clock and third-party application widgets.
Reset interface settings and restore
If none of the above methods helped, there may have been a glitch in the launcher configuration files. In this case, resetting the interface settings will help without losing personal data (photos, contacts, applications).
Go to application settings, find your main launcher application (for example, “System Launcher”, “One UI Home”, “MIUI Home”). In the “Memory” or “Storage” section, select the “Clear data” or “Reset settings” option.
After this operation, the desktop will return to the “store” appearance, all widgets will disappear, and you will have to rearrange them. This is guaranteed to remove any software layers that cause clock duplication.
As a last resort, if the problem arose after installing a specific firmware update, it is worth checking for new security patches. Developers often release hotfixes to fix visual interface bugs.
⚠️ Attention: Resetting the launcher data will remove all shortcuts and widgets from the desktop, but will not affect your files in the phone memory. Be prepared to spend 5-10 minutes restoring the screen to its normal appearance.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why did two times appear after an Android update?
System updates often reset theme settings or activate new features by default. Check the “Personalization” section and change the lock clock style to another, then return the desired one - this will update the interface configuration file.
Is it possible to leave two clocks for different cities?
Yes, many shells (MIUI, ColorOS) have a built-in “Second Clock” function for this very purpose. It is configured in the lock screen menu and allows you to display the time of the second city you select next to the main one.
Does the weather widget affect the display of the clock?
Yes, weather widgets often contain built-in time modules. If you have such a widget next to the system clock, a visual duplication effect may occur. Try replacing the weather widget with a version without a clock.
How to remove the clock from a black screen (AOD)?
Go to Settings → Screen → Always On Display (or Always On Screen). There you can completely disable the function or select the “None” display style so that the time is not shown on the switched off display.