Owners of budget but functional smartphones of the Redmi 9 series often face visual features of the shell MIUI, One of these features is the display of two time zones on the lock screen or in the desktop widgets. This phenomenon, known as the Double Clock feature, was originally conceived by developers for travelers, but in everyday life creates visual noise.
There are several ways to remove double watches on Xiaomi Redmi 9, as this setting can be activated both in system settings and through third-party widgets. Understanding the difference between the system clock and the widget is the first step to solving the problem. In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible causes of the emergence of second time and propose specific algorithms for action to eliminate them.
It’s worth noting that MIUI is constantly updated, and the location of some items may vary slightly depending on the Android version and shell. However, the basic logic of the configuration remains unchanged for the entire Xiaomi ecosystem.
Why Redmi 9 has two times
The second dial or text time display is often a surprise to the user. In the Android-based MIUI operating system, the time output is handled by different components, most often either a built-in double clock feature or an installed widget. The first option is a system setting that automatically adjusts to your movements.
The second option is a third-party or system widget that you might accidentally add to your desktop or lock screen. Widgets can duplicate system time, creating a double effect. You can distinguish them by their appearance: system dual clocks usually have a specific font and layout specific to the theme, and the widget can look like a separate block.
It can also be a time synchronization failure or a design conflict. Some custom themes downloaded from Themes store force the display of time in two time zones, ignoring the standard system settings, so if simple methods do not help, it is worth checking the active theme.
💡
System dual clocks and widgets are different interface elements that require different disabling techniques.
Disabling the double clock function in system settings
The most common and effective way to remove the extra time is to use native operating system settings. In Xiaomi Redmi 9, a separate switch is responsible for this, which activates the traveler mode. If you did not change the time zone manually, the system could do this automatically when you connected to a new network.
You need to go to the settings menu first. Find and open the Settings section, then scroll down to Additional, or immediately select Date and Time depending on the version of MIUI. This is where the key parameter that controls the display of the second time zone hides.
Inside the menu, find the option Double Watch, which can be turned on by default if the phone determines that you are not in the home region, and you need to click on this item and move the slider to the "Off" position, after which only one current time should remain on the lock screen.
☑️ Algorithm of system clock shutdown
It is important to understand that once this feature is turned off, the phone will stop showing your home city time while you are roaming. If you travel frequently, this setting will have to be turned on and off manually when crossing borders.
Managing widgets on the desktop and lock screen
If the dual clock function is disabled in the system settings, but the two times are still displayed, the problem lies in the widgets. A widget is a mini application that is displayed on the desktop or lock screen for quick access to information. Redmi 9 often has a large clock widget installed by default that can duplicate system time.
To check this out, take a close look at your desktop and lock screen. If you see two different numbers, try pinching one of them with your finger for a few seconds, and you'll see a widget management menu where you can choose to delete or Settings, and removing the extra widget will fix the problem instantly.
- 🕒 Press and hold your finger on the widget with extra time.
- 🗑️ In the menu that appears, select the “Delete” button or drag the widget into the basket.
- ⚙️ If deletion is not possible, go to the widget settings and turn off the display of the second time zone.
- 🔄 Restart the device so that the changes are applied correctly.
Sometimes widgets stick to the lock screen because of launcher errors, which can help to clear the cache of the Security app or reset the desktop settings, and check if the Pocket mode is activated, which can change the display of information.
💡
Use standard MIUI widgets instead of third-party ones – they are better optimized and less likely to cause display conflicts.
Time zone setting and synchronization
Incorrect time zone settings are another reason why Xiaomi Redmi 9 may display strange time or duplicate time, the system tries to reconcile network time, device time and second city time. If these parameters are desynchronized, the interface may respond by outputting additional indicators.
Go to Settings → Additional → Date and Time. Make sure the Use Network Time Switch is activated. This will allow the phone to automatically receive the exact time from the carrier. If this feature is enabled, manual timing will become unavailable, eliminating user errors.
Also, look at the time zone. Make sure you pick the right region. If you're not traveling, there should be nothing in the Second Time Zone field, or it should be turned off completely.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Effects on double clocks |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-time setting | Included. | Synchronizes the clock with the operator |
| Double watches | Off. | Removes the second dial |
| 24-hour format | By choice. | Changes the format, but not the number of hours |
| Second time zone | Not selected | Disables the display of another city |
If after all the manipulations, time continues to “jump” or display incorrectly, try to turn on and off flight mode, this will force the device to re-register on the network and update the time data.
Impact of Design Themes and Third-Party Applications
MIUI Themes offers thousands of design options, but not all of them are quality. Some themes, especially those created by independent designers, may have hard-coded time-reflection scripts, in which case system settings may be ignored, and double clocks return again.
To check if the theme is causing the problem, switch to a standard Classic or Default theme temporarily. Go to the Themes app, select a profile, and click on a classic theme. If the double clock is gone after applying the standard design, then the problem was in the design of the previous theme.
How to completely reset the theme settings?
In addition, some alarm or calendar apps may request permission to display time on the lock screen. Check the list of installed apps, especially those that have access to the lock screen. Turn off suspicious permissions in the Settings menu → Apps → Permissions.
⚠️ Warning: Installing themes from unverified sources can lead not only to visual bugs, but also to unstable system operation. MIUI.
Resetting settings and solving software errors
In rare cases, a double-clock problem on Redmi 9 may be due to a software failure in the system configuration files. If none of the above methods worked, it is worth resorting to more radical but safe measures.
Try to do the following: turn off automatic time settings, set an arbitrary date and time, restart the phone, and then turn on automatic settings again. This "shaking" of the system causes time services to restart their processes from scratch.
If that doesn't work, you can reset all your settings to factory, but it's an extreme measure that requires prior data retention. However, most often the problem is solved by updating the system. Go to Settings → About the phone and check for MIUI updates. In new firmware versions, such interface bugs are usually fixed.
- 🔄 Check for system updates in the About Phone menu».
- 🗑️ Clear the cache of the Watch and Security app».
- 📅 Temporarily turn off time synchronization and restart the device.
- 🛠️ In extreme cases, perform a full reset (Hard Reset).
Remember that regular software updates are the best way to prevent these problems. Xiaomi engineers are constantly working to improve the stability of the shell.