Users often experience a locked-screen widget with two dials or a large time animation that can’t be easily swiped, a feature often perceived as a “double clock” that is actually part of the Mi Smart Hub system or Wallpaper Carousel mode, which turns a switched-off screen into an information bar.
In this article, we will discuss in detail why double watches appear on your device and how to turn them off, returning the classic look of the lock screen. We will look at the settings of the system application Always On Display, the operation of widgets in the Mi Smart Hub and hidden parameters in the section "Wallpaper Carousel", Understanding these mechanisms will allow you to fully control the appearance of the MIUI or HyperOS interface.
Note that settings may vary depending on the operating system version and the firmware region. If you don't find the right item right away, try searching for the settings by entering keywords like "lock screen" or "carousel". Below are proven methods of solving the problem.
The nature of the appearance of the double clock widget
The appearance of two hours or a complex dial on a locked screen is the result of special widgets that the system suggests activating when changing the theme or updating the interface. Often users accidentally activate the Mi Smart Hub function, which is designed to use a smartphone as a smart speaker or frame, but works on a locked screen.
The second common reason is the activation of Wallpaper Carousel, which is constantly loading new background images, and many of them contain built-in time widgets that can overlap or be displayed in dual formats. The system launcher perceives this as a regular theme work, so standard removal of widgets from the desktop is not helpful here.
It is important to distinguish between system lock clocks and third-party widgets. If the time is displayed in standard MIUI font, its setting is in the same menu. If you see stylized numbers that resemble an alarm clock or a smart speaker, it is a third-party module Xiaomi Wear or Mi Smart Home.
Disable the Mi Smart Hub mode
The most likely culprit behind the smart double watch is the Mi Smart Hub. It is often activated by default after updating the system or installing certain themes. To remove this element, you need to completely disable the service that renders the interface on the locked screen.
Go to your smartphone settings and find the smart home section. Depending on the firmware version, it can be called Settings → Password and Security → Lock screen or have a separate item in the main settings menu called Mi Smart Hub. Inside this menu, you need to find the switch responsible for displaying on the locked screen.
☑️ Checking the settings of the Mi Smart Hub
After the function is disabled, the system may suggest saving settings or restarting the device. Agree to restart so that the changes take effect guaranteed. If the switch is inactive (locked in gray), you may not have administrator rights or do not disturb mode with special display settings is enabled.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling the Mi Smart Hub can also remove the ability to quickly start smart devices (light bulbs, cameras) swipe from the locked screen. If you need this feature, try not to turn off the service completely, but simply change the display style in its settings to "Classic".
Setting up the wallpaper carousel and those
The Glance service is another source of time display problems, often replacing the standard watch widget with its own, which can be duplicated or look like a double dial, and either disable the service or change the widget settings inside it.
Go to Settings → Lock screen. Find "Wallpaper carousel" or "Glance for Mi." Go to the menu and select "Settings." Here you are interested in "On locked screen" or "Show widgets." Turn off the option to display widgets on top of the wallpaper.
What to do if the Carousel item is not removed?
It's also worth checking out the active theme, some of the themes from the Mi Theme Store force their time widgets, go back to the standard MIUI theme to see if the problem goes away, and if you've lost the theme after you've changed the theme to a standard double clock, it's the theme's code.
Managing widgets Always on Display
The feature is Always on Display (AOD) It allows you to display time and notifications on the screen off. On some Xiaomi models, settings are available. AOD They can conflict with the main locking hours, creating overlapping or double-display effects. AMOLED-screen.
To set or disable this mode, go to Settings → Lock screen. Find "Always On Display" or "Constant Screen." Here you can choose the display style. If you have a "Digital Watch" or "Analogue Watch" style, try switching to "No" or select a minimalist option with no seconds and no date that will conflict.
| Setup parameter | Recommended value | Effects on double clocks |
|---|---|---|
| AOD style | No/Classic. | Cleans up background time |
| Schedule | Off. | Prevents Auto-Inclusion |
| Show at notification | Off. | Removes screen wake-up |
| Brightness | Low. | Reduces the visibility of artifacts |
Note that on some models (e.g., Xiaomi 13/14), the AOD settings are placed in a separate Wallpaper app. Go there, select the Always On Screen tab, and make sure that only one style is active, not a combination of the two.
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If you use a protective glass with a dimming edge, it can create an optical illusion of double time due to the refraction of light from the edges of the curved screen.
Resetting the lock screen settings
If manually shutting down functions didn’t help and the double clocks continue to bother you, you can try resetting the lock screen to factory settings.This won’t delete your personal data (photos, contacts), but will return all security and design settings to their original state.
To do this, go to Settings → About Phone and click on the MIUI/HyperOS version several times to open the developer menu (if required), but more often simply search for settings for the phrase “Reset settings”. Choose Reset your Wi-Fi, mobile Internet and Bluetooth settings or Reset all settings (be careful, the second option will reset both ringtones and alarm clocks).
- 📱 Step 1: Back up your important data in case of unforeseen errors.
- ⚙️ Step 2: Go to the menu of advanced system settings.
- 🔄 Step 3: Select Reset Settings (not to be confused with a complete data reset).
- ✅ Step 4: Confirm the action and wait for the device to restart.
Once rebooted, the system will be clear of user-generated widget configurations. You'll have to reset your fingerprint and password, but the time mapping problem must disappear. It's a radical but effective method of dealing with software glitches.
⚠️ Warning: Before performing a reset, make sure you remember the Mi Account password and unlock pin code. After the reset, the phone may require you to enter them for security reasons (FRP lock).
Solving problems through a safe mode
Sometimes the source of the problem is third-party applications that install their widgets on the lock screen (for example, alarm apps, weather widgets or launchers). To check this, you need to start the smartphone in safe mode.
Press the power button, and when the shutdown icon comes up, press and hold it with your finger on the screen, and you'll be prompted to go to Safe Mode. You'll agree. It's only system applications that work in Safe Mode, and if the double clock is gone in Safe Mode, it's one of the apps you've installed that's to blame.
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If the widget disappears in Safe Mode, consistently remove newly installed apps related to the design, time or weather until the problem is resolved.
Start by removing applications that have permission to display over other windows or access the lock screen, often with acceleration memory cleaners or custom themes not downloaded from an official store.