How to customize the clock face in iOS 26?

Download app called minimal analog clock and switch with default clock

I agree. I do not like the clock interface. It would be nice to be able to customize the app icon or pick from a few different selections. This was a drastic jump in style choice from what the clock interface before was.

Thanks for the information. My wife's phone upgraded to iOS26 last night. She has a hard time seeing and that clock face is a disaster for her. I've already provided feedback to Apple per the steps you've given.

"Thanks for the information. My wife's phone upgraded to iOS26 last night. She has a hard time seeing and that clock face is a disaster for her. I've already provided feedback to Apple per the steps you've given."

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Excellent job troubleshooting this!

And thanks for doing you part! It will help many, for certain.

Really appreciate this thread, how can we boost its visibility? Can’t just be a handful of us? I am finding it difficult to read the new clock too. The widget is too big and I don’t want to use a 3rd party app. Have used the feedback link, as suggested, when changes are big like this, please allow users to customise.

I struggled to read the lock screen clock with the glass font, but I was able to customise so that was much appreciated. There are a lot of visually impaired phone users so it might be a small design change, but such changes do affect us. Thank you!

I agree - there’s a multitude of clock faces for the watch, it can’t be hard to supply some options for IOS 26, including the previous easy to read version. Perhaps also an option to double the size of just that particular icon for users with poorer eyesight or users who just want the clock to stand out and get their attention.

I'm going to guess if you go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size - you'll see you have Reduce Transparency turned on. You may also have Increase Contrast turned on. If you turn then off, you'll have more of what you asked about above.

It’s nasty! I updated my phone and this morning I see that Apple has changed the clock to a cheap-plastic 1970s-alarm-clock version that I would never have in my my house. Now I have to look at it all day long. I don’t know why they keep doing annoying stuff like this. This is NOT an improvement.

I hate the oversized icon on the clock face and some widgets like the example with the weather. Takes up too much space and annoying for us that like symmetry. I don’t understand why the old options are not available as additional options. I prefer the 24 hr clock which is only available as a huge annoying icon. Stop making “improvements” that make my life less comfortable.

pctrchk wrote:

1. we should be able to change the clock face on our phones.

2. We shouldn’t have to pay for every single app that is on iPhone! I am sick of it the fact that Samsung you can get free apps and yet you guys charge it per day per week per month per year is disgusting don’t say it’s the app’s fault because if you can get it free on Samsung then you can get it free on iPhone

What are you prattling on about? You bought the phone. You didn't have to pay for the clock app. You got a load of apps included with the phone, you didn't have to pay anything for. But own iOS, you don't. Apple does and if they choose to change the appearance of a free app, like the clock app, it's their decision and absolute right to do.

pctrchk wrote:

I am sick of it the fact that Samsung you can get free apps and yet you guys charge it per day per week per month per year is disgusting don’t say it’s the app’s fault because if you can get it free on Samsung then you can get it free on iPhone

I think the best solution for you is to get a Samsung, as you clearly think it’s a better product.

Complaining about Apple app pricing and bringing up Samsung is not helpful. This thread is hoping to get Apple’s attention and provide us with options for the clock face. It’s a minor first world issue and not worth slinging mud about.

Apple - how about bringing some of the existing watch face designs into IOS and restoring the option for original clearly readable and elegant Swiss watch face? Thanks!

You are clearly responding to the wrong person. IdrisSeabright most definitely did not complain about Apple pricing or bring up Samsung.

You also seem to incorrectly believe you are writing anyone at Apple here? You're not. This is a user to user ONLY forum, which Apple neither participates nor reads for user feedback. Asking Apple to do anything is pointless.

You can tell Apple what you'd like them to do here --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple

Honestly, I simply cannot believe the consternation over an app icon change? Are people's lives really this disrupted by a simple change? The App still works as it did before. It just looks different.

The old Swiss face and the current “70’s cheap alarm clock” face DO show the correct time. Even the second hand moves.

The new face is just more difficult for some of us to read while the previous face was fine.

and many of us don’t want a widget that takes the space of 4 icons on our hole screen.