Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often experience visual discomfort when two time indicators are displayed on the lock screen or at the top of the display at the same time.This is not a software glitch, but a specific feature of MIUI or HyperOS firmware that can be confusing, usually after an operating system update or when certain design themes are activated that are not properly handled by standard widgets.
Dubbing the dials creates a sense of cluttered interfaces and prevents quick reading. Double clocks can appear on both a locked screen and a desktop, taking up useful space. Fortunately, Xiaomi’s shell Android system provides flexible tools to manage interface elements, allowing you to turn off unnecessary indicators in a couple of clicks.
In this article, we will discuss all possible causes of the second dial and offer effective methods for eliminating them. You will learn to customize the format of displaying time, work with system themes and use hidden settings for the perfect appearance of your gadget.
Reasons for the appearance of the second dial on the screen
The main reason for the dual-time effect is the conflict between system widgets and third-party themes. The MIUI shell allows you to deeply customize the look, but sometimes theme developers forget to disable standard interface elements by adding their own, as a result, the user sees both system time and time built into the theme.
Another common reason is lock style settings. Xiaomi often introduces new design features like Wallpaper Magazine or Wallpaper Carousel, which have their own watch widgets. If the standard widget is also active, they overlap. The widget conflict is a software error of display logic, not a physical break in the screen.
Sometimes the problem lies in the malfunction of the launcher or cache of system applications. After a major firmware update, some configuration files may be saved in the old format, causing duplication of elements. It is also worth checking whether the function of displaying time for the second time zone is turned on, which is often important for travelers.
- 🕒 Conflict between standard theme and downloaded design from Themes store.
- 📱 Activation of the "Second Time Zone" function in the date and time settings.
- ⚙️ Caching errors of SystemUI system interface after update.
- 🎨 Use of third-party launchers that duplicate system widgets.
⚠️ Note: If the double watch comes right after you install a new theme, 90% of the time it's the problem.
Setting up the time format in the status bar
The first place to look for a solution is the time display settings at the top status bar. Newer versions of Xiaomi’s firmware have the ability to choose a format or hide a watch if it’s duplicated by a widget on the desktop. To access these settings, you need to go to the device settings menu.
Find the section that's responsible for the lock screen and the status bar. The path may vary slightly depending on the Android version and the shell, but the logic remains the same. You'll need to find "Time Format" or "Master in status bar." Here you can switch the view to digital, analog or select the hiding option.
If you use the Classic Watch widget on your desktop, the system time in the status bar can be redundant. However, completely hiding it is not always convenient, as this prevents you from seeing the time in the applications on the full screen. The optimal solution is to change the font style or size to visually separate the system indicator and the widget.
In some cases, switching the region helps: changing the region from Russia to the United States and back to the Settings menu → Additional settings → Region can reboot the configuration files of the interface. This is a simple trick that often solves problems with localization and display of system elements.
Managing widgets on the desktop
Xiaomi's desktop allows you to host many widgets, and they often become the source of duplication. Users can accidentally add a watch widget without noticing that time is already displayed in the status bar or other widget. Removing the extra element is the easiest and most effective solution.
To control the widgets, you need to pinch an empty area on your desktop or pinch a two-fingered one. You open an edit mode where all the installed components are available. Find the widget with the clock and drag it to the top of the screen where the basket or cross is located to remove. Removing the widget will not affect other phone data.
If you use widgets from third-party apps like Google or a calendar with a time function, check their settings. Often, the widget itself has a "Show the Watch" switch on its menu, and if you turn off this option, you leave the widget functionality, but you remove the visual noise.
☑️ Checking widgets
You should also look at folders, and if you've hidden a watch widget in an application folder, it may not display correctly when you open that folder, creating a superimposition effect. Cleaning the desktop of unused items improves not only the look, but also the performance of the system.
Setting up the lock screen and wallpaper
The lock screen is where the dials are most commonly overlaid. The MIUI shell offers different lock styles, including Classic, Theme Store and Wallpaper with the carousel, each with its own time settings that can conflict.
Go to the lock screen settings via Settings → Lock screen. Here you will find the option "Style of the watch." Try changing it to "No" if the system allows, or select a minimalist style that does not overlap with other elements. In some themes, time is built into the background picture, and you can only turn it off by changing the theme.
Wallpaper Carousel often adds its own large dial over the system. If you like changing wallpapers but are annoyed by double clocks, go to the Safety app or carousel settings. Find Time Display and deactivate it. This will leave the change of pictures, but remove the unnecessary text.
| Type of lockdown | Where to turn off the clock | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| Classical. | Settings → Lock screen | Low. |
| The shop that | Appendix Topics → Profile | Average. |
| Wallpaper carousel | Carousel settings | High. |
| Third-party launcher | Launcher settings | Depends on the app. |
⚠️ Warning: When using Wallpaper Carousel, energy consumption may increase. If you remove the watch to save charge, it is better to completely disable this function.
Working with themes and design
Xiaomi’s theme store is a powerful tool, but it’s the one that most often causes visual bugs. Third-party themes can contain hard-coded time widgets that overlap with system ones. If the problem comes after a theme change, the solution lies in the design plane.
Try applying a "No Theme" theme to the Themes app, which brings back the standard MIUI interface. If the double clock is gone, it's a third-party design. You can search for another theme or edit the current one. The Themes app has a Personalization feature where you can change the lock screen separately without touching the icons.
When choosing a new theme, look for screenshots in the description. If the preview shows two times, it means that this is a design feature. Also check the compatibility of the theme with your version of Android. Themes created for older versions of MIUI 12 or 13 may not work correctly on HyperOS.
How do you delete the cache?
You can edit themes through a computer using the MIUI Theme Editor, but it requires programming skills. It's easier for the average user to choose a different theme or go back to the standard. Remember that device security is more important than beauty, and themes from unverified sources can contain malicious code.
Resetting settings and additional solutions
If none of the above methods worked, it may be that the system has accumulated a critical amount of errors or corrupted system files interface, in which case it is worth considering more radical measures, such as resetting interface settings or a complete reset device.
The first step is to reset the system interface settings. This will not delete your personal data (photos, contacts), but will return the settings for the location of icons, widgets and design to the factory. To do this, go to Settings → About → MIUI version and click on the logo several times to activate additional options, or find a reset in the application menu.
In extreme cases, a full reset to factory settings (Hard Reset) helps. A full reset removes all data from the phone, so be sure to back up important information before starting the procedure. Once reset, the phone will be as new, and the double-hour problem is guaranteed to disappear unless it is caused by a physical matrix defect (which is extremely rare).
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Before performing a full reset, make sure that the battery is at least 60% and the device is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network for fast data download after turning on.
Also check for system updates. Xiaomi engineers regularly release patches that fix interface bugs. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update and check the version's relevance. Often, an update solves problems that seemed intractable.
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In most cases, the problem of double hours is solved by simply changing the theme or turning off the wallpaper carousel widget, without requiring complex technical interventions.