Galaxy Watch Timer Harder to Use After One UI 8 Update
After updating to One UI 8, the Timer app on your Galaxy Watch no longer stays visible on screen. The timer moves to the Now Bar when the screen times out, which frustrates users who need to see the countdown constantly.
What Changed
One UI 8 made intentional changes to timer behavior:
- Screen Timeout: Maximum timeout reduced to 1 minute (was 5 minutes before)
- Now Bar Display: Timer moves to Now Bar when screen turns off
- Not a Bug: This is by design, not a malfunction
- Battery Focus: Samsung prioritized battery life over timer visibility
This Is Intentional
Samsung made this change deliberately. Community feedback was split - some users wanted timers off-screen. Unfortunately, there's no setting to restore old behavior.
The Now Bar Workaround
Configure Now Bar to show timer countdown more prominently.
- On your watch, go to
SettingsAdvanced featuresNow Bar - Find Now Bar style settings
- Select Timer app
- Choose Icon with text
- Now when timer is active and screen turns off, the countdown shows in Now Bar
How Now Bar Works
After configuring:
- Start a timer normally
- When screen times out, look at the Now Bar at top of screen
- Timer countdown displays in the Now Bar area
- Tap to expand back to full timer view
Why Samsung Made This Change
The reasoning behind the design decision:
- Battery Optimization: Keeping screen on drains battery significantly
- User Feedback Split: Some users complained timer staying on was annoying
- AMOLED Protection: Prevents screen burn-in from static timer display
- Consistency: All apps now follow same timeout behavior
Third-Party Timer Apps
Alternative apps may offer different behavior.
- Hevy App: For gym users, includes break timers between sets
- Interval Timer Apps: Sport-specific timers with different screen behavior
- Workout Apps: Many fitness apps include built-in timers that stay visible
Gym Timer Alternative
If you need visible timers for workouts, try the Hevy app or dedicated interval timer apps from Play Store. These may override system timeout behavior.
What You Can't Change
These limitations are fixed in One UI 8:
- 1 Minute Maximum: Screen timeout cannot exceed 1 minute
- Timer Behavior: Cannot force timer to stay on screen
- No Rollback: Cannot downgrade to
One UI 7behavior - System-Wide: Affects all Galaxy Watch models with
One UI 8
Feedback to Samsung
If this change significantly impacts your use:
- Open
Galaxy Wearableapp - Go to
SupportorHelp - Submit feedback requesting timer screen timeout options
- Describe your use case (cooking, workouts, etc.)
User feedback does influence future updates, though changes take time.
Adapt Your Workflow
Configure Now Bar as described above and practice checking the timer there. It takes adjustment, but becomes second nature after a few days.
See Also: One UI 8 New Features|Galaxy Watch Software Updates|Now Bar Access Guide