How To: Upgrade Your Nexus 5's Alarm Clock Status Bar Icon to Include the Next Alarm Time

Honestly, Android's stock alarm icon is completely useless. It doesn't relay any information other than the fact that, at some point in the future, you have an alarm coming up. Considering how pointless it is, I normally install GravityBox or other similar mods just to get rid of it.

But developer GermainZ has created an Xposed module that actually makes this little icon useful. Without venturing too far away from the stock look, his module makes replaces the alarm icon with one whose hands depict the time of your next alarm. So if you're like me and you don't like pointless clutter in your status bar, you needn't look any further.

Prerequisites

• Rooted Nexus 5 (or any other rooted phone running AOSP)
• Xposed Framework installed

Step 1: Install DynamicAlarmIcon

GermainZ's module goes by the name of DynamicAlarmIcon. Just head to the Download section of your Xposed Installer app and search that very name to get it installed. Tap the top result, then swipe over to the Versions tab and hit the Download button on the most recent entry.

This will automatically launch Android's installer interface, so tap Install on the next screen.

When that's finished, you'll get a notification from Xposed telling you that the module is not activated yet and that a reboot is needed. Just tap the Activate and reboot button on this notification to knock out both of those requirements at once.

Step 2: Set an Alarm & See the Difference

The module changes the icon for the stock clock app on your Nexus as well as the Timely alarm app. To see the difference, you'll simply need to set an alarm. With that out of the way, you'll be able to tell the time of your upcoming alarm by reading the hands on the face of this small status bar icon.

If you already had an alarm set, you may need to remove this alarm and add it again before you see the changes to your icon.

This is a simple touch that I'm absolutely loving. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments section below.