Double clock on the lock screen Xiaomi: causes and ways to eliminate

Double clocks on the lock screen Xiaomi is a common problem faced by users of smartphones based on MIUI (version 12 to 14). Visually, this looks like the overlap of two time indicators: standard clock from the system and duplicate, which can be displayed with a different font, size or even the wrong time.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to remove double clocks, including resetting your lock screen settings, cleaning your system app cache, and manually editing configuration files. We’ll focus on the nuances for different models, from Xiaomi 13 Pro flagships to budget Redmi Note 11. If you notice that the problem only appears when you use a certain theme or after connecting a second Mi Account, here you’ll find accurate diagnostic and correction instructions.

Why are there double watches on Xiaomi?

The reason for the clock duplication on the lock screen lies in the conflict between the system components of MIUI.

• 🔄 Update the firmware - after upgrading to the new version MIUI (For example, from 13 to 14, there may be a failure in the operation of the LockScreen service.
• 🎨 Install third-party themes – some themes from the Mi Theme Store contain errors in files lockscreen_style.xml, which leads to the addition of elements.
• 👥 Multiaccounting – if multiple Mi Account profiles are registered on the device or Second Space is enabled, the system can duplicate widgets.
• 🛠️ Manual intervention – editing system files through ADB or Magisk modules (e.g. MiuiHomeMods).

On some models (such as the Poco F4 or Redmi K50), the bug appears after the Always-on Display (AOD) function is activated, which is because MIUI treats the AOD and the standard lock screen as separate layers, but sometimes does not synchronize them correctly.

Method 1: Reset the lock screen settings

The fastest and safest method is to return the lock screen settings to factory settings, which doesn't affect user data, but resets widgets, wallpaper and time display style.

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Scroll down and select Reset (or Restore by default).
3. Confirm action. The phone will reboot automatically.

If there is no Reset option, use an alternative path:

Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (shap 7 times to activate the developer mode)


Settings → Additional → For developers → Resetting the lock screen settings

Make sure there are no important widgets (weather, notes) on the lock screen

Take a screenshot of the current settings (wallpaper, watch style)

Turn off Always-on Display (AOD) in screen settings

Check the battery charge (minimum 30%)-->

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global 14.0.4) reset can temporarily disable your fingerprint. After rebooting, add it again to Settings → Passwords and security.

Method 2: Cleaning the cache of system applications

Duplicate hours are often caused by a corrupted cache of System UI or Miui System services, and cleaning the cache does not delete data, but can solve the problem:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Show System.
3. Find and open: System UI (Miui System) (or MIUI Core Service)

Warehouse → Clear the cache

Reset the device.

If the clock is still duplicated after cleaning the cache, try to delete the data (not the cache!) for the Theme app.This will reset all the installed themes, but often solves the overlay problem.

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After cleaning the cache, check if the time and date settings are lost. Sometimes system services reset them to default values (for example, on January 1, 2020).

Method 3: Turning off Always-on Display (AOD)

The Always-on Display feature conflicts with the main lock screen on many Xiaomi devices. If the double clock only appears when AOD is turned on, follow the following steps:

1. Open Settings → Lock screen → Always-on Display.
2. Turn off the Always-on Display slider.
3. Restart your phone and check the lock screen.

If the problem has gone away but you want to get the AOD back, try:

• 🔄 Change of style AOD — Some templates (e.g. Digital watches) are more stable.
• ⏱️ Set up a schedule - turn on AOD only at certain hours (for example, from 8:00 to 22:00).
• 🛠️ Update the firmware - in new versions MIUI patched overlay bugs AOD and lockdown.

Method 4: Removing conflicting topics

If the double watch comes after you install a custom theme, the problem lies in the custom theme files, and even after you change the theme to the standard traces of the previous one, they can stay in the system folders, so that you can delete the theme completely:

1. Go to Settings → Themes.
2. Choose My Subjects → Loaded.
3. Find a suspicious topic (usually marked as Incompatible or Error) and delete it.
4. Clear the Topic app cache (see Method 2).

For advanced users: If the theme is not removed through the interface, connect to the device using ADB and do:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.icon_pack.{ title topics]


adb shell rm -rf /data/system/theme/*

⚠️ Note: Removing System Themes Through ADB This can cause wallpaper and icon style to be reset. Before you execute commands, back up through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.

Method 5: Manual editing of system files (for advanced ones)

If none of the above methods worked, the problem may lie in corrupted lock screen configuration files. On devices with unlocked bootloader and root rights, you can manually edit the file. /system/media/theme/default/lockscreen_style.xml, You can remove the duplicate lines with the time parameters, but this is a way to be careful!

Procedure:

1. Get root access (for example, through Magisk).
2. Open the file. /system/media/theme/default/lockscreen_style.xml in a text editor (for example, MiXplorer with Root Add-on module).
3. Find blocks with <clock> or <digitalClock> tags. There should only be one block left!
4. Remove duplicate strings, save the file, and reboot the device.

Example of correct block (the rest should be removed):

<clock


android:id="@id/lockscreen_clock"




android:layout_width="wrap_content"




android:layout_height="wrap_content"




android:textSize="48sp"




android:textColor="#FFFFFFFF" />

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Editing system files without a backup can lead to a lock screen "brick." Always save the original file before changes!

Additional recommendations

If double clocks appear periodically (for example, after rebooting or connecting to a charge), check the following points:

• 🔋 Power saving mode - turn it off in Settings → Battery. Some firmware is not handling widgets in this mode correctly.
• 👤 Second Mi Account – If you use Second Space, try turning it off in Settings → Special facilities.
• 📱 Beta version MIUI — If you are a participant in the beta program, roll back to stable firmware through Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Select a Service Package.

For devices with MIUI 14 and later, it is also worth checking the Super Wallpaper settings. Sometimes they conflict with the time display. Turn them off in Settings → Wallpaper → Dynamic Wallpaper.

FAQ: Frequent questions