Seconds Count Display Bug on Windows 10 Lock Screen
Today we are going to share another bug found in Windows 10. This bug is related to the Lock Screen and the date/time displayed on it.
By default, Windows shows time in 12-hour format in Taskbar notification area (system tray), in Windows Explorer file details and on Lock Screen. But you can customize the time format using Regional Settings which can be accessed from Control Panel, from Settings app or by using intl.cpl command in RUN dialog box.
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Once you open Regional Settings window, click on “Additional Settings” button and then go to “Time” tab. On this tab, you can customize short time format, long time format and AM/PM symbols as shown in following tutorials:
- How to Show Day and Month Names in System Tray Date in Windows
- How to Show AM / PM Symbols in System Tray Clock in Windows
- How to Customize AM and PM Symbols in System Tray Clock in Windows
By default the short time format is set to h:mm tt which shows hours in 12-hour format and doesn’t show seconds. Long time format also shows hours in 12-hour format but also show seconds.
If you want to show hours in 24-hour format, you can replace h with H or HH. To show seconds in short time format, add :ss to the string i.e. replace h:mm tt with h:mm:ss tt.
Once you enable seconds display in short time format, it causes a bug on Windows 10 Lock Screen. As soon as you enable seconds in short time using Regional Settings window, lock the Desktop using WIN+L hotkey and you’ll be surprised to see seconds display in the time shown on Lock Screen.
Its good that Windows 10 Lock Screen starts showing seconds count on time but the bug is, it doesn’t refresh the seconds count. It remains unchanged as soon as you access the Lock Screen. It only changes when the minute count changes.
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I noticed one thing! Seconds count is displayed on Lock Screen only when both short time format and long time format use same format for hours display. In other words, the Lock Screen will show seconds count only if either both short time format and long time format use 12-hour format or both use 24-hour format in Regional Settings window. If one format is set to use 12-hour format and the other is set to use 24-hour format, then Lock Screen will not show seconds count.
It doesn’t happen on Windows 8/8.1. The Lock Screen on Windows 8/8.1 never shows seconds irrespective of seconds display is enabled or not in Regional Settings.
In my opinion, the same thing should happen in Windows 10 as well. It should never show seconds on Lock Screen because the constant second display on Lock Screen looks very odd.
The Taskbar clock in Windows OS never shows seconds and the same thing should apply to the Lock Screen.
So either the Lock Screen should refresh seconds count or it should never show the seconds.
Its not a big issue but definitely a bug in the OS which should be fixed in future Windows 10 builds.
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I’ve found that Windows 10 really isn’t better than Windows 8 or 8.1.
I can say this because I had Stardock’s Start8, ModernMix and Decor8.
I had Start8 from Windows 8’s release date, so I had a customizable start menu and my pc booted to the desktop from day one.
ModernMix opens modern apps in resizable windows o the desktop.
Décor* has better images for the lock screen.
Basically, the only thing I didn’t have was Cortana and DirectX 12.
I can live without Cortana, as Search Everything is terrific.
How many games are DirectX 12 capable at this point ? Not many at all.
As far as playing Xbox One games on my pc, I could care less. I prefer pc games with their superior graphics on my pc.
I have no plans to buy a Xbox One or any future Xbox’s for that matter.
I very well switch to Linux and ditch Microsoft all together, as Steam games are starting to be Linux capable.
I’m not interested in Microsoft’s privacy issue’s and advertising everywhere in Windows 10.
I don’t look at ad’s on my pc. If I want to buy something, I know how to search the internet for the best price. If I want ad’s, I’ll buy a Sunday newspaper.
Truly, I’m really debating on whether I’m installing Windows 10 Pro or Windows 8.1 Pro on the pc I’m building.
I’ll admit it, I’ve used Windows 10 since it’s first preview (dual booted w/8.1 Pro). Then got 10 Pro on it’s release day and ditched the insider preview.
Ever since November though, I’ve been rapidly noticing more & more bugs that didn’t exist in Windows 7 Professional, Windows 8 Pro w/Media Center or Windows 8.1 w/Media Center.
Microsoft only seems to be interested in adding more features to Windows 10. Not fixing the old bugs first. Thus, adding more bugs with said new features.
Hi,
I have changed the setting to 12 hrs format ..it is reflecting in lock screen as well, But AM/PM is missing in the lock screen, where as it is present in the right bottom corner.
It this the default behavior of windows 10 or i am missing some thing out here.
Hey VISHAL !!.. Hi there… i am following your tutorials and fixes for a long time now(many years).. and they are all good and very helpful… but recently i upgraded from windows 8.1 pro and have installed windows 10 pro….. now i am experiencing this serious problem in which there is a BLANK screen just after i login from the lockscreen….. this blank screen is there atleast for 1.5 minutes… its really annoying as it prevents me from doing anything and happens everytime i boot up my device… after 1.5 minutes normal desktop shows up and everything else is all good.i am having a Dell XPS (L502X) and i have heard earlier in one of your comments that you also own a XPS device… can you please help me to solve this BLANK Black screen problem .. it would highly appreciated !!
^^ I replied you in following topic:
https://www.askvg.com/bug-fix-lock-screen-shows-solid-black-background-in-windows-10/
Hi! do you know if the bug has been fixed in current Win 10 18362.145 build…?