Turn On the Compact Lock Screen Clock in iOS 27
About this QuickTip
Love your Lock Screen photo but hate how much of it the giant clock covers? iOS 27 adds a new compact clock option that shrinks the big, half-screen time down to a slimline version sitting next to the date at the top of your iPhone. I'll show you how to switch it on while customising your Lock Screen, and how to change back to the full-size clock whenever you like, so your wallpapers finally get the space they deserve.
Transcript
Have you ever wished your Lock Screen could be a little bit more minimal? If only you could get rid of the clock at the top, it has so much space to enjoy your photographs and your wallpapers. Well, iOS 27 has got you sorted. I'll show you how.
And before I do, if you're new around here, then hi, my name is Jacob. I'm your friendly Apple expert here to help you make the most of your devices on YouTube. Please do press subscribe, and you won't miss any more QuickTips.
So, I'm on the Lock Screen here, and I'm going to long-press on my wallpaper, and then I'll tap onto Customise at the bottom. So far, just like normal. Then I can tap onto my clock. And rather than changing the font or the colour, there's a new icon in the top-right corner of this little panel at the bottom here. And when you tap on there, it's going to switch the clock from being the big, half-the-screen version to a very tiny, slimline one alongside the date at the top. Pressing it again will bring it back to the full-screen clock mode.
But now, when you press Done and you save your Lock Screen, you're going to have so much more space to enjoy your photos and your wallpapers.
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Technical details: This QuickTip was recorded on an iPhone 17 Pro Max running iOS 27 in September 2026.
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