How to Remove the Android Lock Screen Clock (and What You Can Change)

Most current Android phones have no supported switch to fully remove the lock-screen clock. You can usually make it smaller or change its style. If the time remains visible after the display goes dark, you are seeing the separate Always On Display (AOD) feature.

Can you remove the lock-screen clock?

There is no universal Android setting for this because manufacturers control their lock-screen software. Google’s current Pixel instructions list clock style, width, color, and size controls, but no remove-clock control. Samsung’s current guide documents changing the lock-screen clock style, without a hide option. Those official instructions indicate that a fully clock-free lock screen is not a standard option on these supported interfaces. Menus and available styles can vary by device, software version, and region.

If your goal is to keep a live wallpaper’s own clock from colliding with the system clock, try a wallpaper without a second clock or use a still image. The lock-screen time is drawn as part of the system interface, so changing the wallpaper alone will not remove it.

Make the clock smaller on a Pixel

Google documents lock-screen clock customization for Pixel phones running Android 16 and later. The clock remains on screen, but you can reduce its size and adjust its look.

1. On the home screen, touch and hold an empty area.
2. Tap Wallpaper & style, then swipe to Lock screen.
3. Swipe up to reveal the lock-screen settings and tap Clock.

4. Choose a preset under Style, then adjust the clock width if the slider is available.
5. Set a more readable Color, or match the clock to the wallpaper.
6. Under Size, switch Large off, then tap Apply.

The clock remains visible; this changes its size rather than removing it. Pixel also has a Dynamic clock option that adjusts the clock size based on lock-screen content. See Google’s Pixel lock-screen guide.

Change the clock style on a Samsung Galaxy

On supported Galaxy models, Samsung’s lock-screen editor lets you select the clock and choose a different style. The design and menu names may vary with One UI and device model.

1. Touch and hold the lock screen. Unlock the phone if prompted.
2. Open the wallpaper or edit controls, then tap the clock on the preview.
3. Choose an available clock style and, if offered, a color. Save or tap Done to apply the change.

Samsung’s guide documents clock-style changes, not hiding the clock. If your editor has no hide option, choose a smaller style or move the clock over a less important part of the wallpaper.

Turn off the clock shown while the screen is off

If you see the time on a dim screen even when you are not actively viewing the lock screen, you may mean AOD. Turning AOD off stops that always-visible display, but the regular lock-screen clock will still appear when you wake the phone.

• Pixel: Open Settings, tap Display & touch, and turn off Always-on Display. Google’s display settings guide lists this control.
• Samsung Galaxy: Open Settings, tap Lock screen and AOD, then Always On Display, and switch it off. Samsung notes that AOD options can differ by software version; consult its Always On Display guide.

Why the old blank-font trick is not a current fix

The older version of this guide advised replacing /system/fonts/Clockopia.ttf with a blank font using a rooted file manager. That was a ROM-specific workaround for older Android software. It requires root and changes protected system files; current Pixel and Galaxy support guides do not recommend it. It may not affect the clock on another Android version or manufacturer skin, and system-file changes can cause instability or interfere with updates. Do not root a phone just to try it.

What to check if the controls are missing

• Confirm the phone’s manufacturer, Android or One UI version, and model. Pixel Android 16 clock settings are not available on every Android phone.
• Search Settings for Lock screen, Wallpaper & style, or Clock; manufacturers may use different labels.
• Distinguish the lock screen from AOD. Disabling AOD affects the dim, screen-off view; it does not remove the clock from the awake lock screen.
• If the clock overlaps a live wallpaper clock, remove the duplicate clock from the wallpaper or select a background that leaves the system clock readable.