# Clock is AOSP DeskClock rebuilt for people who install their own apps > Clock is a Java Android clock app inspired by AOSP Clock, published as GPLv3 with Release, Nightly and Debug builds that install side by side, and distributed through GitHub, F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid and Obtainium. Its real content is a long list of vendor specific alarm problems, documented honestly rather than solved. **BlackyHawky/Clock** — Customizable, privacy‑first, open-source clock app inspired by AOSP Clock - Repository: https://github.com/BlackyHawky/Clock - Stars: 1,160 · Forks: 96 - Language: Java - License: GPL-3.0 - Published: 2026-10-19 · Updated: 2026-10-19 · Language: en - Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/blackyhawky-clock ## AOSP DeskClock, packaged as a standalone app Clock describes itself as a customizable, privacy first, open source clock app inspired by AOSP Clock, and the code lineage explains where the features come from. The app icon is credited as inspired by the LineageOS DeskClock icon, and the code references and inspiration are credited to LineageOS and crDroid Android, both of which are DeskClock forks. The project is not a fork of a stock AOSP tree in the ordinary sense, it is an independent build that borrows from two community ones. That lineage shows in what the app is trying to be. The AOSP clock is a system component, and system components are updated with the operating system, not with the user's taste. Clock exists so that the clock can be installed, updated and themed independently of the ROM, which is why it appears in the F-Droid catalogue, in IzzyOnDroid and through Obtainium, alongside the GitHub releases. The package identifier is com.best.deskclock, and the F-Droid listing uses that same identifier. The audience is a user on a device whose vendor clock app is locked down, or who simply wants widgets, a screensaver and alarm behaviour the stock app does not offer. It is a Java and Gradle project, with app/, gradle/, build.gradle and settings.gradle at the top level alongside a fastlane/ directory used for store metadata and the screenshots, and the images/ directory holding the README badges. ## Release, Nightly and Debug install side by side The distribution model is more interesting than the feature list, because it addresses a specific problem with app updates on Android. There are three build variants. Release carries the stable versions and is recommended for everyday use, and it is available on all the listed platforms. Nightly carries experimental builds with the latest changes that may be unstable, and it is available on GitHub and on Obtainium if you enable the Include prereleases option. Debug is developer oriented, with extra logging and diagnostics, and it is available only on GitHub. The key detail is that all three variants can be installed side by side without conflict. Different application identifiers or different signing paths are not described in the README, but the practical effect is that a user can keep a stable clock on the phone and a nightly build on a test device, and a developer can run a debug build without replacing the release one. The recent release history supports the claim that this is an actively produced app. The release list shows Clock 2.33 on 2026-09-25, Clock 2.32 on 2026-09-15 and a Nightly-20 build of 2.34 on 2026-10-12, and the last push to the repository was on 2026-10-16. Nightly numbering that runs ahead of the stable version tells you the development branch is ahead of what most users have, which is the point of having the channel at all. ## Alarm dismissal is where this app spends its effort The alarm section is the deepest part of the feature list, and it is aimed at people who will actually use the clock as an alarm rather than a decoration. Alarms can be set to a specific date. To dismiss or snooze, you can flip or shake the device, use the power or volume buttons to snooze or stop, or solve math problems, which is a deliberate friction for anyone who is not awake. Alarms can be swiped to delete, to duplicate or to customise, and each one can carry a custom title, a custom background and a custom ringtone, including random playback so a repeated alarm does not become background noise you stop hearing. The rest of the app is closer to a system utility. A world clock can display home time when you are abroad and show the time in multiple cities, and there is a built in timer and stopwatch, with stopwatch results that can be shared with contacts. Customisation covers light, dark and system themes, an AMOLED mode for deep blacks, digital or analog clock styles, configurable interface, screensaver and widgets, and dynamic colours on Android 12 and later. Quick settings tiles are supported on Android 7 and later, Material Design is used throughout, and the project claims support for Direct Boot, with a link to a discussion about that support not working on every device. Backup and restore is available, with one stated exception: custom ringtones are not included. The project also lists reproducible builds among its transparency features, which for an app distributed outside the Play Store is the mechanism that lets a user confirm the binary they install matches the published source. ## The Common Issues section is the honest part Most clock apps would not publish a list like this one, which is why it is worth reading in full before installing. Device specific problems may occur because of limited testing. On Android 14 and later with HyperOS, the Full screen notification permission may be revoked, with a possible solution linked from a discussion. MIUI users may hit problems because of aggressive battery optimisation, and the README asks that battery optimisation be disabled for the app before an issue is opened. On ZTE devices the guidance is to go to Settings, then Battery, then Apps AI-control, then Clock, and set Auto-start, Secondary Launch and Background running to Allowed rather than Automatic, so that alarms trigger correctly. Two features carry their own caveats. Power-off alarm support on some Snapdragon devices may fail even when the com.qualcomm.qti.poweroffalarm system app is present, which is a reminder that the vendor component is a necessary but not sufficient condition. And the Direct Boot discussion is linked from the feature list rather than claimed as working everywhere. The README closes the section with an admission that the maintainer is not an expert developer, so some problems may require community help. That is a risk factor to weigh against the app's real strengths, and it also tells you where to look for answers: the issue tracker and the linked discussions. ## Two licences in one repository Clock is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0, and the README states what that means in plain terms: modifications or larger works using Clock must be distributed under the same license, with complete source code available. That is the strong copyleft obligation, and for an end user installing an APK it is irrelevant, while for anyone who takes the code into a product it is the whole point of the licence. The second licence comes from the code's origin. Because Clock is based on AOSP Clock, which is licensed under the Apache License 2.0, an additional Apache 2.0 licence file is provided in the repository alongside the GPL one. Both are at the top level, as LICENSE and LICENSE-Apache-2.0. The practical reading is that the project is a mix of Apache 2.0 licensed code carried from AOSP and GPLv3 licensed additions, with the whole distribution offered under GPLv3. Anyone planning to reuse the code in a closed product has to work through what the copyleft obligations attach to, and that is a question for a lawyer rather than for a README. Translations are contributed by the community through Weblate, and CONTRIBUTING.md covers reporting issues, translations and code contributions, which is the practical entry point for a contributor who wants to help rather than just report. ## Installing it: pick a channel, then set the alarm There is no command line here, because this is an Android application, so the install is a channel decision rather than a package manager invocation. The four routes are the GitHub releases page, the F-Droid listing for com.best.deskclock, the IzzyOnDroid repository, and Obtainium, which can be pointed at the GitHub releases and will track them automatically, including prereleases if you turn that on. For an everyday user, F-Droid or Obtainium pointing at GitHub are the low effort options, since they handle updates without you watching the releases page. Once it is installed, the first thing worth doing is the thing the Common Issues section warns about. On MIUI and ZTE devices, open the battery optimisation settings for the app and allow background running and auto start before you trust it with an early alarm. On Android 14 and later with HyperOS, check that the full screen notification permission has not been revoked, because an alarm that fires silently into a collapsed shade is the failure mode that produces the most bug reports. Then set an alarm, give it a title, and test the dismissal method you intend to rely on, since flip, shake, button press and math problem are four different behaviours and the one you will use at six in the morning is not necessarily the one you expect. ## Conclusion Clock suits an Android user who wants the AOSP clock experience, including widgets and a screensaver, from a store that tracks releases and provides a nightly channel, and who is willing to disable aggressive battery optimisation on their handset. It is the wrong choice for someone who needs their alarms to work on a MIUI or ZTE device without touching system settings, and it is not a place to look for a maintained AOSP tree, since the code lineage runs through LineageOS and crDroid rather than a Google release. Verify first on your own device that the alarm fires with your ROM's battery management in the way the Common Issues section describes, and pick the Release build unless you specifically want the Nightly channel. ## FAQ ### What is the Clock app for Android? It is a customizable, privacy first, open source clock app inspired by AOSP Clock, with alarms, world clock, timer, stopwatch, screensaver and widgets. It is written in Java and released under GPLv3. ### Where can I download the Clock app for Android? From the GitHub releases, from F-Droid under the package com.best.deskclock, from IzzyOnDroid, or through Obtainium pointed at the GitHub releases. Obtainium can also track nightly builds if you enable Include prereleases. ### What is the difference between the Release, Nightly and Debug builds of Clock? Release holds the stable versions and is recommended for everyday use, Nightly holds experimental builds with the latest changes that may be unstable, and Debug adds logging and diagnostics for developers. All three can be installed side by side without conflict. ### Why do my alarms not fire on MIUI or ZTE devices? MIUI applies aggressive battery optimisation, and the README asks that it be disabled for the app. On ZTE devices, Settings, Battery, Apps AI-control, then Clock should have Auto-start, Secondary Launch and Background running set to Allowed. ### Does Clock support backup and restore? Yes, with one exception stated in the README: custom ringtones are not included in the backup. ## Sources - [BlackyHawky/Clock on GitHub](https://github.com/BlackyHawky/Clock) - [Issues](https://github.com/BlackyHawky/Clock/issues) - [License: GPL-3.0](https://github.com/BlackyHawky/Clock/blob/main/LICENSE) - [README](https://github.com/BlackyHawky/Clock/blob/main/README.md) - [Releases](https://github.com/BlackyHawky/Clock/releases) --- Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/blackyhawky-clock