It is undeniable that Windows updates have brought new and exciting features for many users. However, they are still notorious for bringing bugs and other issues, including a mismatch between the old and new software components. Several users reported that their Windows clock was invisible, missing, or black because of a recent feature update.

If you share the same problem, don’t panic. Keep reading this post to learn how to get the clock back on Windows 10.

Why is the Clock Indicator Black on my Windows 10 PC?

When you can’t see the clock on your computer screen, it is likely because of a bug. You’re having a difficult time reading Windows Clock on your taskbar because it appears invisible or black. It is possible that the bug affected Windows Themes and Aero styling. On the other hand, you might want to try restarting your computer before trying our solutions below. Perhaps this is just a temporary glitch that can be resolved when you refresh your PC. If you’ve tried doing that and the problem persists, go ahead and try these workarounds:

Solution 1: Disabling Custom Theme

One of the reasons why you have a black Windows Clock is because of an incompatible theme. Such kind of problem can happen when you have a custom theme in place and you install an update. So, what you need to do is choose one of the default themes. Then, you can try recreating your custom theme. To do that, just follow the steps below:

  1. Right-click on an empty space on your desktop.
  2. Select Personalize from the list.
  3. Go to the left-pane menu, then select Themes.  Go to the right pane, then choose Windows 10 as your theme.
  4. Get rid of all the other custom themes.
  5. Recreate all your custom themes.

Once you’ve completed the steps, you should know how to make the clock visible again on Windows 10.

Solution 2: Modifying your Existing Themes

There’s still a workaround when you want to keep your existing theme. However, you should know that the process is a little complex. So, if you do not think that your tech skills will suffice, we recommend sticking to the first solution we provided. On the other hand, if you insist on modifying your existing themes, you can follow these instructions:

  1. If you have not saved your existing theme, save it now. Go to Personalize, then select Themes on the left-pane menu. On the right pane, click the Save Theme button. Choose any name for the theme.
  2. Navigate to this path:

C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes

  1. Look for the file with the name you chose for your custom theme.
  2. Right-click the file, then open it with Notepad.
  3. Look for this line:

Path=%SystemRoot%\resources\themes\Aero\AeroLite.msstyles

  1. Replace that with this:

Path=%SystemRoot%\resources\themes\Aero\Aero.msstyles

  1. Save the file, then change its name to something else.
  2. Go back to the Themes window, then select the new theme you just created.

Solution 3: Disabling Small Taskbar Icons

If you think that you have an invisible Windows 10 clock, we recommend disabling the small taskbar icons on your PC. Here are the steps:

  1. Click the Search icon on your taskbar.
  2. Now, type “settings” (no quotes), then hit Enter.
  3. Select Personalization, then choose Taskbar from the left-pane menu.
  4. Switch off the ‘Use small taskbar buttons’ option.

Pro tip:

In some cases, your themes can be affected by malware and viruses. So, to get rid of this issue, we suggest installing Auslogics Anti-Malware. This tool detects malicious items you would never suspect existed. You can keep your PC safe and secure. All the while, you can prevent viruses from corrupting your custom themes and Windows Clock.

What other Windows Update-related issues do you like us to solve next?

Submit your questions in the comments section below!