Apple Watch "Always On" only shows time

It seems like there's been an update of some sort. I have "always on" and "show complications" turned on in my settings. When my watch first goes into rest mode (after I put my wrist down), the screen dims and continues to show all the complications, as it has always done. But lately it seems like sometimes it stops showing the complications and just shows the time until I raise it up. Has anyone else noticed this? Just shows the time in the upper right corner.

Apple Watch Series 8

Posted on Mar 1, 2023 8:16 AM

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Question marked as Best answer

The screenshot that you provided rings a bell to me! It seems to do that to all of us.

You have an app open in the background. I can't tell what app it is but what's in the background is NOT your home screen.

The home screen is where you'd be seeing all of your complications.

From that screen that you're on in your screenshot, press the Digital Crown to return to your home screen.

You can change this setting and I believe that it will automatically take you back to your home screen when you're not actively using your watch:

From the paired iPhone, open the Watch app and click on General. Scroll down to and click on "Return to Clock". Change it to "Always" (you might have it set to "After 1 Hour" right now).

Posted on Mar 7, 2023 10:20 AM

24 replies

Sep 16, 2023 1:00 AM in response to Talywkr

Solution: turn the watch off and on again. Got this annoying behavior a few days ago. I think after the watch was out of battery once and came back on when charging. I checked the discussions at the Apple Forums but so far people seem to just accept it or blaming it in “old” code of Complications. However, since Apple’s own complications were effected as well, I could not believe the reasoning. Just did what anyone should do first if an electronic device acts up. Turn it off an on again.

Sep 21, 2023 6:15 PM in response to Pilerman

Hi, I have similar issue, indeed return to clock was set to 2 minutes, without me doing it. So now I have changed to 'always', but the time overlay still appear. I've click the crown to exit the app and return to home screen. Wrist down and the time overlay still there 🤔🤔


Update:

Opps it works after a restart of the watch.. Thanks

Apple Watch "Always On" only shows time

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