Xiaomi Redmi 8 smartphone owners often encounter an intrusive visual element at the top of the screen, an alarm icon.This little bell-like icon or watch can be permanently displayed in the status bar, even if the alarm is set for a distant date or not in use at all. For many users, this becomes a source of irritation, as it clutters the interface and distracts attention from really important notifications.
The MIUI system that runs your smartphone has its own logical interface design features, where active system processes are often duplicated by visual markers. You can remove the alarm icon in several ways, from simply turning off the alarm clock to fine-tuning the concealment of system icons. It is important to understand that the complete disappearance of the symbol depends on the firmware version and settings of the particular Watch application.
In this article, we will discuss all possible scenarios for the emergence of this indicator in detail and offer step-by-step solutions. Xiaomi Redmi 8 is a popular model, and the algorithms of its shell are well studied, which allows you to give accurate recommendations, you will learn how to manage system notifications and make your screen cleaner.
Reasons for the Constant display of the icon
The appearance of the icon in the status bar is the normal behavior of the Android operating system in conjunction with the shell MIUI. The main reason is that the Clock application is considered an active background process. The system must ensure that the planned event (awakening) will occur, and the visual indicator serves as a confirmation of the serviceability of the timer. On Xiaomi Redmi 8, this feature is built in deeply and does not always obey the standard rules of hiding notifications.
Sometimes the icon doesn't go away even after the alarm goes off, which can be due to a software failure or a status sticking in the system cache, and a system bug can prevent the status bar from being updated, which keeps the phone thinking that the alarm has just rung or is still active, requiring a forced reboot of the service or the entire device.
It’s also worth considering that some third-party apps may request access to the alarm clock and create their own duplicate notifications.If you use sleep apps or habit trackers, they may conflict with the standard Redmi 8 interface.
Why does the icon return after the reboot?
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Constant display of the icon is not a mistake, but a confirmation that the alarm clock is set and active in the system.
Basic setting of the app Watch
The first and most obvious step is to check the settings of the app itself. On Xiaomi Redmi 8, the Watch app has its own set of options that can affect the display of notifications. You need to open the app, go to the settings menu (usually three dots in a corner or a gear), and carefully study the Notifications section.
Inside the settings menu, there is often an option to "Show icon" or "Show in status bar." If you want to hide the icon but leave the alarm running, finding that tick will be key. However, in newer versions of MIUI, developers often remove the ability to disable the system icon, leaving only the control of audio signals.
If standard switches aren't enough, try changing the type of alarm clock. Sometimes switching from "One Time" to "Repeat" changes the logic of the display indicator, and it's also worth checking if the Smart Alarm feature is turned on, which can activate audible signals when you change the schedule of meetings on the calendar.
☑️ Checking alarm clock settings
- 🔔 Activity check: Make sure the alarm clock is not in "Snooze" mode (delayed signal), as in this mode the icon always flashes or pulses.
- 🔔 Changing the melody: Sometimes it helps to change the melody to the standard one, as custom audio files can cause rendering errors of the interface.
- 🔔 Remove old alarm clocks: Remove all old, unused alarm clocks, leaving only one up-to-date to check.
Management of MIUI system notifications
The MIUI shell allows you to flexibly manage which apps and which notifications can display icons in the status bar. To remove the alarm icon on Xiaomi Redmi 8 through system settings, you need to find notification management for a particular application. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management.
In the app list, look for the Watch or the Alarm. When you go inside, you'll see the Allow Notifications switch. There's a subtlety: Turning off notifications completely can cause the alarm to stop ringing when it's off (if the phone hasn't restarted) or to stop seeing the time of the alarm. However, it's often possible to turn off the Sound Notifications or the Pop-up Notifications, leaving only the system icon, or vice versa, to remove everything.
In some versions of the firmware, there's a separate item called "Sign in the Status Bar." If it's active, deactivate it. This action should immediately remove the alarm symbol from the top bar. If there's no such item, the system tightly regulates its presence when the timer is active.
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Before changing the system settings of notifications, take a screenshot of the current configuration so that in the event of an alarm failure, you can quickly return everything as it was.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling notifications for the Clock system app completely can cause the alarm to fail if the phone is turned off or restarted.
Resetting the application settings and cleaning the cache
If the alarm icon on Xiaomi Redmi 8 “sucks” and does not disappear even after the alarm goes off, there is likely a failure in the app cache. Accumulated temporary files may contain erroneous data about the status of the timer. To solve the problem, you need to clean up the data. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Hours.
In the menu that opens, select Memory or Storage. There you will find two buttons: Clear cache and Clear all data. First, try clearing the cache. This is safe and will not remove your alarm clocks. If that doesn't work, use Clear all data.
Once the data is cleaned, the app will go back to factory settings, and all your alarm clocks will be reset, and the icon will disappear, because there are no active timers left, you will need to reset the wake-up time, and this method is effective in 90% of the time the interface fails.
Path to Reset: Settings → Apps → All Apps → Clock → Memory → Clean- 🧹 Cache Clearing: Deletes temporary files, often solving the problem of the got stuck icon without losing settings.
- 🧹 Data reset: Completely removes alarm settings, returning the application to its original state.
- 🧹 Restart the service: After cleaning, force the application to close through Task Manager and run it again.
Comparison of methods of elimination of icon
To make it easier to choose the best method of solving the problem, we have compiled a comparison table that will help you understand what method will suit you in your situation with the Xiaomi Redmi 8.
Choose a method based on whether you are willing to sacrifice some notifications for a clean screen, or whether it is important to keep the alarm fully functional. Some methods require root rights, but we only consider safe ways for the average user.
| Method | Difficulty | Risk of alarm clock failure | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turning off the alarm clock | Low. | High (won't work) | 100% |
| Settings of MIUI Notifications | Medium | Medium. | 80% |
| Cleaning the application data | Medium | Low (after setting up) | 95% |
| Third-party launchers | Tall. | Low. | 100% |
Use of third-party launchers
If standard MIUI tools don't hide the system icon, you can resort to a radical but effective method of changing the launcher. Launcher is a program responsible for the appearance of the desktop and status bars. By installing a third-party launcher (for example, Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher), you get full control of the status bar.
Many modern launchers have a Status Bar section where you can individually turn off specific icons, including alarm clock, Bluetooth or NFC, which allows you to leave the system intact, but visually remove the irritant. On Redmi 8, this method works steadily.
However, it is worth remembering that installing a third-party launcher can change the way the menu looks and take time to set up, and some deep MIUI features may not work properly with a foreign interface, a solution for advanced users who want to customize their smartphone.
⚠️ Note: When installing a third-party launcher, make sure you give it all the necessary permissions, otherwise the Home button or swipes may not work properly.
Once the launcher is installed, the system can suggest selecting the default home screen app. Select the launcher installed and press "Always." Now you can configure the icons in its settings menu, hiding the alarm icon forever.