Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often encounter visual artifacts in the MIUI interface, one of the most annoying of which is the duplication of clocks on a locked screen. On the Redmi 8, this problem can manifest itself in different ways, from superimposing numbers on each other to the appearance of a second line of time under the main widget.
The reasons for this visual glitch are a conflict of system fonts, misplaced themes, or a breakdown in the Wallpaper and Carousel system application, and understanding the source of the problem is the first step to fixing it, as the methods of solving it differ dramatically depending on what caused the failure.
In this article, we will take a look at all possible double-time scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions for returning the familiar look to your Redmi 8.
The reasons for the duplicate time on MIUI
The fundamental reason for the second set of digits is often third-party software that tries to modify the standard Android interface.The MIUI shell has its own lock widget system, and when a user installs a theme that is not optimized for the current firmware version, the system code may render elements incorrectly.
The second common reason is the activation of the Glance function, which dynamically changes the background and can add its own widgets on top of standard clocks. Sometimes, after a system update, old cached data conflicts with new system libraries, leading to visual errors.
It is also worth considering the human factor: the user could accidentally activate the second style of the watch in the lock screen settings without noticing it. In rare cases, the failure can be associated with damage to the system file responsible for rendering the interface, especially if the device has previously undergone modifications.
- 📱 Version Conflict: The Theme is not compatible with the current version MIUI.
- 🔄 Gluk "Wallpaper carousel": the service module overlays its widget on top of the system.
- ⚙️ Cache failure: accumulated errors in the application "Themes" or "Wallpaper».
It’s important to understand that double time is a software display error that doesn’t threaten your smartphone hardware, but ignoring the issue could lead to more serious interface failures in the future.
Diagnosis: topic or system failure
Before you start taking drastic measures, you need to pinpoint the source of the problem, and the fastest way to do that is to check if the double time disappears when you change design, and if you use a third-party theme downloaded from Themes, you have a greater than 80 percent chance that the error is there.
To check, try switching to a standard Classic or Default theme temporarily, if you only have one clock left on the lock screen, then the problem is solved, and if the duplicate is still there, then the reason is deeper and lies in the system settings or the work of the wallpaper carousel module.
Note the pattern of duplication. If the second watch looks like a translucent copy or has a different font, it is almost always a sign of conflicting rendering layers. In the event that the numbers are simply shifted relative to each other, it may be a problem in a particular font file that was set apart from the theme.
How to distinguish a system bug from a theme?
Fixing the problem through the settings
The most effective way to eliminate double time is to completely reset the Themes app settings, which will return all visual elements to factory values by removing any modifications that may have caused the conflict.
To start, go to the settings menu of your Redmi 8 and find the “Themes” option. In the app that opens, click on the profile icon (usually a person’s silhouette in the corner of the screen), then select “Settings.” Here you need to find the “Reset Themes” or “Restore Default Themes” button.
☑️ Theme reset algorithm
Once the reset is done, the system will automatically apply the standard Classic style, the screen will go out and light up again, with the correct time display. If the double digits are missing, you can try to install another theme, but already convinced that it is compatible with your version of Android.
⚠️ Note: After resetting themes, all paid checkouts purchased or downloaded may require re-activation or download.
In some cases, simply rebooting after resetting is not enough: it is recommended to turn off the device completely, wait 10-15 seconds and turn it on again, which will allow the system to re-initialize all graphics libraries without residual cache.
Turning off the wallpaper carousel (Glance)
Wallpaper carousel (formerly known as Glance) is often the culprit for the appearance of redundant elements on the lock screen, a module designed to show news and advertisements on a locked phone, but its widgets can conflict with the MIUI system clock.
To disable this feature, open Settings and go to Lock Screen. Find Wallpaper Carousel (or Glance for Mi) and turn the switch to Off. Immediately thereafter, only one time widget should remain on the lock screen.
If the carousel has been shut down for two hours, there may be a cached image tail left, which can be used to clean up the wallpaper carousel application via the application management menu.
- 🚫 Disconnect from the menu: “Settings» → «Lock screen» → «Wallpaper carousel» → Off.
- 🧹 Cache cleanup: “Settings» → «Annexes» → «All applications» → «Wallpaper carousel» → «Clean up».
- 🔄 Reboot: Mandatory for the application of changes in the lock layer.
Many users note that even after the feature is disabled in the settings, it can spontaneously turn on after the system update, so it is recommended to periodically check this setting if the problem with double time occurred suddenly.
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If you can’t find the “Wallpaper Carousel” item in the settings, try searching by settings (the magnifier at the top of the screen) and type the word “Carousel” or “Glance”.
Resetting the lock screen settings
If previous methods didn’t help, the internal interface rendering parameters may have gone wrong. MIUI doesn’t have a separate “Reset screen lock” button, but there’s a comprehensive approach by clearing the data of the system applications responsible for this partition.
You will need to go to the Settings menu → Apps → All Apps. The list will need to find the Wallpaper app (not to be confused with Gallery or Themes, the icon is usually a landscape). Click on it, select Memory, and then Clear Everything.
It’s also worth cleaning up the data from the Security app, as in some versions of the MIUI for Redmi 8, it controls the virus scanner, which can be triggered when blocked and affect widgets. Be careful: cleaning the system applications’ data will return their settings to factory settings, but will not delete your files.
| Annex | Action. | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Topics | Reset in profile | Return of the Standard Style |
| Wallpaper. | Cleaning up memory | Resetting slideshow settings |
| Wallpaper carousel | Shutdown | Removal of unnecessary widgets |
| UI system | Stop (not clean) | Resetting the interface |
After doing this, the device can behave unusually for several minutes: icons can be rebuilt and screen settings can be reset, which is a normal system reaction to cleaning the configuration files of the interface.
Use of safe mode for verification
If none of the software methods worked, there is a good chance that the double time is caused by a third-party application that has permission to display on top of other windows (e.g., memory cleaners, flashlights, weather widgets).
To enter Safe Mode on Redmi 8, press and hold the Off button. When the Turn Off icon appears on the screen, press it and hold your finger until the prompt appears to go to Safe Mode. Confirm the action.
In Safe Mode, only system applications are running, and if the double time is gone, it means that one of the applications you installed is to blame, and start sequentially removing newly installed programs, especially those that change the appearance of the system or have widgets.
⚠️ Warning: In Safe Mode, some features of the phone will not be available. Don't be afraid if you can't launch WhatsApp or other messengers - this is the usual behavior of the diagnostic mode.
To get out of safe mode, just reboot your smartphone in the usual way. After rebooting, all your apps will return, but you will already know in which direction to look for the cause of the conflict.
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If in Safe Mode, double time disappears, the problem is 100% caused by a third-party application, not a MIUI system error.